When It Rains
by MelindaM
Summary: When Maxie is threatened by Karpov, there is only one man who can keep her safe. A Jason and Maxie story. Please R & R! Completed!
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own General Hospital or the characters.

Summary: When Maxie is threatened by Karpov, there is only one man who can keep her safe.

Please Read & Review...

When It Rains

Chapter 1

"_Please don't hurt me. I'm sorry—just let me go!" Maxie pleaded, struggling against the strong Russian men who held her. "You won't get away with this. My dad is the Police Commissioner and I'm friends with Jason Morgan. He will retaliate and start a mob war you don't want." She tried everything, but she knew the Russian mobster who had recently arrived in Port Charles didn't give a damn. He would kill her without remorse. _

Maxie managed to get away and bolted towards the Coffee House where Jason's office was. By the time she got there, she was out of breath and sobbing, scared out of her mind from what had just happened. There was a target on her back and she didn't know what to do.

She didn't bother to knock before entering Jason's office. He looked up quickly before getting up and moving over to her, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"What happened?" He asked softly, pulling out the chair for her to sit in. He eased her down and moved over to a self where a box of tissues were and brought it over to her.

Jason had been in the middle of working on some business things, but since Spinelli was out of town visiting his grandmother, Maxie didn't have a friend to lean on. He took a deep breath and watched her. She was shaking.

"Maxie, you need to tell me what happened, okay?" He kept watching her, waiting for her to speak but she just kept crying. "Do you want me to call Spinelli?"

"No, no…I don't want him to worry." She wiped her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. She'd been through a lot in her life, but nothing had scared her more than what had happened with Karpov. Her life was in a good place at the moment and she didn't want it to end.

"Then you need to tell me what is going on, Maxie. I can't help you until I know what happened." Jason moved back over to his chair and sat down.

"Karpov…he...he wants to kill me…" Another sob escaped her and Jason sighed and ran his hands over his face.

"What did you do?"

Maxie made eye contact with him, her mouth open. Her fear about Karpov turned into anger towards Jason. Of course he would assume it was her fault. He never gave her the benefit of the doubt. She closed her mouth and glared at him through her tears.

"I was just at the pier…I overheard something and he saw me."

"What did you overhear, Maxie? I need to know how bad this is."

"I don't even know! I couldn't understand him, but he thought I knew something I shouldn't have. Then his men grabbed me." She took a deep breath and stopped for a moment to wipe her eyes once more and blow her nose. "He threatened to kill me and he wasn't joking Jason, I swear. I managed to get away and I came straight here."

Jason leaned forward on his forearms and laced his fingers together. "I'm sure it's nothing, okay? I don't think he would kill you. It wouldn't do him any good."

"You don't _think_ he'd kill me? You weren't there, Jason! He was ready to kill me and he would have if I hadn't gotten away."

"So what do you want me to do? Go to your dad, Maxie, okay? Let him deal with it."

"No, you don't understand. You're the only one who can help me. I told him I was friends with you."

Jason sighed audibly and shook his head. "Maxie, why would you bring me into this?"

"I was scared and you know I ramble when I'm scared. Please Jason…" She whispered, her eyes brimming with tears once again.

Despite being a strong, unemotional man, Jason couldn't stand when women cried. He didn't want to get involved, but she was counting on him. Before Spinelli had gone away for the week, he had made Jason promise to watch out for Maxie and now, she needed him. He couldn't say no.

"You'll go to a safe house for a little while until I can figure out if this is something we need to worry about or not. I don't think it is, but just in case…"

Maxie nodded, grateful that he would help her. "When can we go?"

"I'll have Max set it up and he'll take you."

"Why won't you just do it?" Maxie didn't know why she wasn't very comfortable with that option. Max had always been nice to her, but she trusted Jason more.

Jason thought about it for a moment before he gave in and shrugged slightly. "Okay, I can do it." He knew that was what Spinelli would have wanted as well and that made it more important. Spinelli had become a trusted friend and Jason didn't want to let him down by letting Maxie down.

He called Max in and explained to him what was going on. Max left a few minutes later to check out the Karpov situation while Jason made the arrangements for a safe house outside of town.

Maxie sat in the chair and looked down at her hands that rested in her lap. She knew Jason would make things better. She trusted him with her life. That realization surprised her and she looked up, watching him for a moment as he talked on the phone. He was concerned about her and she figured it was only because Spinelli wouldn't be happy with him if he didn't help. But maybe, just maybe there was more to it.

A little boring...yes, I know. I promise it will get much better as the story goes on. Please R & R!! I'm open to ideas for future chapters and would love some feedback.

Melinda


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks to all my reviewers! I'm glad you're as interested in Jason and Maxie as I am.

I don't feel like this is my best writing, but I wanted to get through the set up of the story before I get into it more. I hope you like this chapter!

When It Rains

Chapter 2

They took a car Maxie had never seen before and drove about two hours to the outskirts of a town she had never heard of. It was silent most of the way and although Maxie preferred to talk, she welcomed the silence for a change. Besides, Jason wasn't usually willing to carry on a conversation with her anyway.

The car slowed to a stop in front of a small, pale colored house. Maxie leaned forward slightly so she could get a better look.

"So this is it?" She asked, a little unimpressed.

"What were you expecting, a mansion?" Jason shut off the ignition and unlocked the doors. "Grab your things."

Maxie sighed and did as she was told. She was only able to pack a small bag in the time allotted, but she figured it would be enough. Hiding out meant she didn't have to impress anyone, so her clothes didn't have to be the name brands she was used to. Spinelli had always told her she could make a garbage bag look good and she smiled at the thought as she followed Jason up to the house.

He unlocked the door and moved inside, flipping on a light. Maxie looked around, pleasantly surprised that it actually wasn't too bad.

"This will do I guess." She said on a sigh.

"It will have to do. I can help you get settled then I should be on my way."

She nodded and set her bag down on the floor beside the door. She was still a little shaken from the events that had unfolded earlier, but she was starting to feel a little better. At least here only a couple people knew where she was. She was safe.

Jason checked on some things around the house and Maxie went to go look around as well, curious about the place she was staying in. She found the bedroom and the small bathroom attached to it and decided the house wasn't so bad after all.

"The kitchen is already stocked with food and stuff to drink." Jason said as he came to find her in the bedroom. Maxie turned and nodded.

"Okay, sounds good." She said softly. "How long am I going to be here?"

"I don't know. Like I said before, it all depends on how the situation turns out. I don't think it should be too long though."

Maxie sighed and looked around the room again. She heard thunder rumbling outside and then a loud crack of lightning. The lights flickered slightly and she turned towards Jason.

"That can't be a good sign…" Feeling a chill, Maxie rubbed her arms.

Noticing she was cold, Jason headed out of the room. "I'll start a fire." He said as he headed down the hall towards the living room. There was no central heat in the house, so the fireplace was the only source of comfort on a cold night.

"All right," she said before taking a seat on the edge of the bed. She was bored already, which wasn't a good sign either. Maxie didn't know how she would keep herself busy for however long she was stuck here.

Outside, the thunder storm got closer and Maxie jumped slightly as the house practically shook. The lights flickered once more before going out completely. Maxie sat still for a moment but stood up with a flash of lightning lit up the room.

Walking quickly but carefully, Maxie made her way to the living room where Jason was knelt down in front of the fireplace.

"The power's out." He said, hearing her come into the room.

"Oh really, how can you tell?" she asked sarcastically as she sat down on the couch close to the fire and to him. "Are there flashlights or candles or something around here? I hate the dark."

"Yeah, I can find some when I'm done here." He lit a match and held it to the waded up newspaper in the fireplace, igniting it. He blew on it gently.

Maxie watched him, his face illuminated by the flickering fire burning. She felt the heat coming from it and was glad she wasn't the one who had to build the fire. She knew that if the task was up to her, she would probably end up walking around wrapped in blankets.

"Okay, this should burn for awhile." Jason said as he rose to his feet and headed towards the kitchen to get a flashlight, Maxie guessed. He came back about a minute later with one along with a few candles. He placed the candles on the coffee table and got another match from beside the fireplace. He lit it and proceeded to light the candles.

"So are you going to leave me here all alone in the middle of a thunderstorm?" She asked, hoping the answer was no.

"You'll manage just fine."

"Are you kidding me?! You're actually going to leave me here? No, Jason. No way. I am not going to stay here alone!" If Jason thought he was going to leave her, he had another thing coming. There was no way she would let that happen. She hated being alone in her own house, let alone one in the middle of nowhere with a Russian mobster out to get her.

"Maxie, you'll be fine. I need to get back to Port Charles."

"I can't believe you! God, you are such a jerk! Some things are more important than your stupid mob business. My life is at stake here and you don't even give a damn! I wish Spinelli was here. He'd stay with me."

Jason sighed and rolled his eyes. He hated when Maxie exaggerated things. She blew everything out of proportion.

"Spinelli would do whatever you want. But I'm not him, Maxie. You will be just fine. This house is secure."

"I can't believe you!" She fumed, so angry with him. "If it wasn't for you I wouldn't be in this situation. This is your fault." She spit out, trying to think up something to turn it back around on him.

Jason had to laugh at that. "Oh come on, Maxie. Grow up. We both know you got yourself into his mess and you should be grateful that I even got you out of town. I didn't want to waste my time on this. I'm leaving, that's final."

"The hell you are!" She yelled, moving closer to him. "Do not leave me here!"

Jason set the flashlight down and moved towards the door, not wanting to deal with it any longer. Maxie could stay there by herself just fine, she just didn't want to. It wasn't his responsibility to take care of her.

"Someone will come get you when it's safe." He opened the door and walked out, shutting it behind him without a look back.

I will update as soon as I get the next chapter written. As always, please R & R! I appreciate all your comments and I'm open to any and all ideas you may have.

Melinda


	3. Chapter 3

Thanks again to all my reviewers, you guys are great! I appreciate all the comments.

Sorry for the delay..it's been a busy week. I hope you all enjoy this chapter!

Chapter 3

Maxie stood there looking at the door, not really knowing what to think. Jason had walked out leaving her alone in the dark house. The fire to her right cracked loudly and she jumped slightly. Reaching for a blanket that was draped over the back of the couch, she pulled it over her and curled up.

"You are such an ass…" She whispered to no one, frustrated and angry about being left alone. Maxie didn't think he would really leave her, but she was wrong.

Tears slowly welled up in her eyes and she groaned softly. Why was she crying? It wasn't like she had feelings for Jason…or did she? No, no way.

Shaking her head, she flung the blanket off and got up from the couch. She picked up the flashlight on the coffee table and flipped it on before heading in the direction of the kitchen. As she rounded the corner, her foot collided with something hard. Maxie let out a loud scream of pain and dropped the flashlight to the floor.

Outside, Jason heard the scream and a soft thud. Concerned, he ran up the walkway to the house and used the key to open the door.

"Maxie?!" He called out, making his way through the dark house.

"Oh great…" she groaned, not wanting him to find her like this. Her toes were throbbing and she had sat down on the floor, leaning against the wall. Jason found her a few seconds later. "What brings you back?" She avoided looking at him, not wanting him to think she couldn't handle something as little as a couple stubbed toes.

"I heard you scream. Are you okay?" Jason asked as he slowly knelt down beside her.

"Don't pretend to care, all right? I know you don't, so you can just leave now. I don't want your pity, Jason." She glared at him before getting up from the floor, careful not to put any weight on her injured toes. "Shouldn't you be on your way back to Port Charles by now?"

Maxie bent down and picked up the flashlight again before walking past Jason and heading towards the bedroom. She wasn't in the mood to deal with Jason, especially since she was in pain. When she reached the bedroom, she went inside and shut the door behind her.

She laid down on the bed and shut the flashlight off. Closing her eyes, she listened to the storm and thought about Spinelli. She could really have used a friend then, but the only person around was Jason. It was clear he didn't care and Maxie wasn't going to let that get to her. She could stay here on her own and be just fine.

Jason made his way into the kitchen in the dark and grabbed an ice pack out of the freezer. He fumbled through some drawers before finding a hand towel to wrap the ice pack in. Carefully, he headed for the bedroom and knocked softly on the door before opening it.

"Here, this should help." He said softly, holding up the ice pack as he walked into the room and over to the side of the bed.

"I don't want it. Just go away." She whispered, rolling over so her back was to him. When he didn't leave, she rolled back over and sat up. "Do you not listen? I don't want you here. I don't need you, Jason. I'm not a baby; I can take care of myself."

"I never said you were a baby. In fact, I said you could manage on your own."

"So why are you here then? You don't want to stay, so don't. It's as simple as that. Leave!" She said loudly, turning on the flashlight and pointing it towards the door. "There's the door."

Jason sighed and set the ice pack down on the night stand. "Spinelli would want me to stay, at least for the first night."

"Oh, so now what Spinelli would want is suddenly important to you? Give me a break, Jason. You're such a joke." She shook her head and ran her hand over her face.

Groaning loudly, she got out of bed and came down on her sore toes. She fell forward slightly and Jason was there to catch her, holding her upright. Maxie looked up, her mouth open slightly. For once, she couldn't think of anything to say.

Jason didn't know why his legs wouldn't move. It was like time was standing still and he thought of how cliché that sounded. Slowly, his head inched down towards hers and Maxie slowly rose up on her tiptoes, forgetting the pain for a moment.

"Jason…" she whispered softly as her heart beat wildly in her chest.

They inched closer together, Jason's hands grasping her arms and pulling her closer. Then in an instant, the lights came back on.

I will update in the next couple of days hopefully...R & R as always. :)


	4. Chapter 4

Again, thanks to the reviewers and to Chelsea for the idea for what's ahead. :)

I appologize in advance for what's ahead in this chapter...but don't get too upset yet. Things aren't always as they seem...

Chapter 4

Maxie and Jason both stepped back awkwardly, not really knowing how to digest the situation. If the lights hadn't come back on, Jason knew he would have kissed her.

"Uh…" Maxie stammered, not sure what to say. She had almost kissed Jason Morgan and for some reason, she was disappointed that it hadn't happened. "Sorry." She whispered, hurriedly leaving the bedroom and going into the kitchen.

She found a glass and got herself some water, drinking it down and taking a few deep breaths. "Oh my God…"

Jason stood there alone in the room, unable to move. What had come over him? He was literally inches away from crossing the line with her. There was no denying that Maxie was attractive; she always had been. But now, something had changed. Jason shook his head and left the bedroom, going into the living room to check the fire.

Maxie stayed in the kitchen, needing some time to collect her thoughts. After a few more minutes, she gained the courage to face Jason and headed to the living room.

When he heard her come into the living room, Jason turned to face her. "Maybe we should talk about this." He suggested.

"There's nothing to talk about." Maxie said, crossing her arms beneath her chest. "Nothing happened, so it's not a big deal." She told him, knowing she was lying to them both. It was a big deal, to her at least. "I'm fine now, so you can leave if you want."

He nodded, thinking that would be for the best. He put another log on the fire before moving towards the door.

"Just let me know when it's safe to come home, I guess."

Jason nodded again. "Yeah, I will."

He left shortly after, leaving Maxie there by herself. She decided to make the most of it and found some paper and a pencil and started sketching designs. Maxie had always dreamed of one day owning her own fashion company, but for now she had to settle for working with Kate. She wasn't complaining though. Through working with Kate, she was able to meet a lot of people who would be able to further her career when the time came.

It had been a few days and there hadn't been any word from Jason, or Spinelli. She had expected Spinelli to call her but when he didn't; she just assumed he was busy with his grandmother. Not wanting to seem needy, she put off calling him and tried to enjoy the peace and quiet.

A knock on the door startled her and Maxie hesitantly got up from the couch and moved towards the door.

"Maxie, it's Jason." She heard him call out and breathed a small sigh of relief. At least she didn't have to worry about encountering someone she didn't want to see.

She unlocked the door and opened it slowly. "Can I go home now?" Maxie asked, looking him over. He seemed oddly sad and she wasn't sure what to make of it. "What's going on?"

"You should sit down." He practically whispered it.

"Um, okay." Maxie moved out of the way so he could come in and walked back over to the couch to sit. She watched Jason as he came in and shut the door before walking closer. "Okay, you're kind of freaking me out, Jason." Maxie was getting nervous and started preparing herself for the worst.

Jason wasn't sure how to say it, so he pulled out the photo instead and handed it to her reluctantly.

Maxie slowly unfolded the photo and her eyes widened at the sight of the image. It was Spinelli, his eyes closed and his face pale. There was a note on his chest with the words 'This is what you get.'

"What is this?" She asked Jason, turning her head to look at him. He wasn't looking at her. "What is this?!" She screamed in horror, tears quickly welling in her eyes.

Jason took a deep breath but didn't look up. He was equally as horrified, if not more. He was supposed to look out for Spinelli, but he had failed in the worst possible way.

"Max brought it to me earlier. Karpov…he...he killed him." Jason could barely get it out. Spinelli had become his best friend and Maxie's as well and now he was gone. "I'm so sorry…"

Maxie felt sick to her stomach. She put the photo down, not able to look at it any longer. It was her fault Spinelli was dead. She had killed him.

Quickly, she ran to the bathroom and collapsed on the floor, uncontrollable sobs racking her petite body. Her best friend, the one person she could always count on, the one person who always thought the best of her…was gone. First Jesse, then Cooper and Georgie…and now Spinelli was dead as well.

There was a soft knock on the door of the bathroom, but Maxie was too weak to speak or even move. Jason opened the door slowly and moved inside. He didn't know how to comfort her or if he should even attempt to try. But he knew Spinelli would want him to try and he would honor that.

Jason lowered himself down to the floor beside Maxie and gently helped her up into an upright position. She leaned against him, laying her head on his chest as he wrapped his arms around her. He closed his eyes, trying to prevent the tears from falling. Since his accident years ago, he hadn't been an emotional man. But with the untimely death of Spinelli had affected him in a way he couldn't describe.

Maxie wasn't sure how long she had cried for. It seemed like hours but she was sure it hadn't been nearly that long. Jason held her gently but didn't speak. Maxie figured that was probably for the best. She didn't know what to say to him; she was lost without Spinelli.

Slowly, she lifted her head and looked up at Jason. To her surprise he had tears in his eyes too. She moved away from him slightly and sat up straight, wiping her eyes.

"He's really gone?" She asked him in a whisper, still not wanting to believe that such a thing could be true.

Jason simply nodded slowly and wiped his eyes as well.

"This is my fault…" Maxie cried softly, another batch of tears flowing freely down her cheeks.

"No, no…this isn't your fault, Maxie." He placed a reassuring hand on her leg.

"But Karpov…he's after me." She met his eyes and shook her head. "This wouldn't have happened if it wasn't for me. It's my fault!" She bawled and leaned into Jason again.

He wrapped her up tighter and rested his cheek on the top of her head as he rubbed her back, trying to calm her down. Slowly she did and after a few more minutes of sniffling, she lifted her head. Jason brought one hand up to her cheek and wiped away the stray tears with the pad of his thumb.

They connected in that moment and something changed in Jason's eyes. He wasn't the 'Stone Cold' man Spinelli had always lovingly referred to him as. He had held her and comforted her despite his better judgment, she was sure. Slowly, Maxie inched in closer and gently pressed her lips to Jason's.


	5. Chapter 5

I'm so sorry for the delay...it's been a busy, busy week. I hope you guys like this chapter. I'll try to get the next chapter up in a couple days.

Again, thanks for the reviews!

Chapter 5

The kiss started slowly and Jason drew Maxie closer into his arms. They opened their mouths to each other, welcoming the intimacy. Maxie ran her fingers through his hair gently as the kiss got more heated.

Suddenly, Jason pulled back and Maxie looked at him, a little confused.

"What's wrong?" She whispered, her lips slightly swollen from the kiss.

"We shouldn't be doing this…not right now." He shook his head and gently moved her off his lap so he could stand. "I'm sorry, Maxie."

"Jason…" Maxie started to speak but he shook his head again. She sighed audibly and slumped against the side of the bathtub. After learning of Spinelli's death, she never thought she would end up making out with Jason. But in a way, it seemed right. They could comfort each other…if only Jason would agree to that.

"I should probably go."

Shaking her head, Maxie got up from the floor and straightened out her clothes and her hair quickly. "No, don't. I really don't want to be alone right now…not after everything…" Her voice faded out, thinking about the picture. Spinelli was killed to send a message to Maxie; it was her fault. "I just don't think I can be alone right now."

He nodded but walked out of the bathroom. Maxie followed him into the living room where he picked up the photo.

"It shouldn't be like this." Jason said softly, shaking his head. He sighed and folded the picture up again before slipping it back into his pocket.

"Does his grandmother know?" Maxie asked, thinking of the woman he was supposed to be staying with while all of this was going on.

"I was going to tell her after I told you, I just…he's spoken so highly of her…"

Maxie moved closer and reached out, taking his hand. He didn't pull away, which Maxie viewed as a good sign.

"Can I come with you? I've always wanted to meet her and now that Spinelli is…" She couldn't bring herself to say the word. Shaking her head, she looked up into Jason's sad eyes. "Spinelli wanted me to meet her one day."

Jason nodded before telling her to get ready to go. It was already getting late and he didn't want to wake the elderly woman.

When Maxie had her things together, the two of them headed out to Jason's SUV. The drive was silent and Maxie found herself breaking down into tears once more. She didn't bother trying to cover it up. Spinelli deserved to be grieved over. He meant so much to many people, especially Maxie. They had grown incredibly close and had become best friends who told each other everything. No one could ever replace him and the finality of his death was finally hitting Maxie.

Jason reached over to her, his hand resting on her thigh reassuring. The gesture comforted Maxie and she smiled slightly before putting her hand on top of his and squeezing gently. When she released his hand, he pulled it back and continued driving to Spinelli's grandmother's house.

When Jason eventually came to a stop, Maxie sat up straighter in the seat and looked over at him before she looked at the house.

"Are you ready?" She asked, grabbing her purse.

He nodded reluctantly and they got out of the SUV, heading up to the front door. Jason rang the doorbell and they stood together, waiting. It took a moment for the elderly woman to make it to the door before she opened it.

"Hello, Ms. Spinelli." Jason spoke softly and Maxie could see it was already difficult for him.

"I'm Maxie and this is Jason, I think you two have met before."

The elderly woman nodded and smiled slightly. "My grandson has told me about you. You're even more beautiful than he described.

Maxie smiled at the comment, trying to keep another round of tears from falling. "Thank you. Do you think we could come in?"

"Of course, of course. Come in." The woman moved aside, letting Jason and Maxie inside. They all moved over to the quaint living room and sat down.

Jason started speaking after a moment, gently breaking the news to her. She took it surprisingly well.

"My grandson was so happy and I knew what he was getting himself into wasn't the best, but he was happy. He had wonderful friends in the two of you…"

"We are so sorry that this happened." Maxie said softly as her and Jason stood up to leave after a few more moments.

"Damian wouldn't want us to be sad, dear."

The two women hugged for a few moments before Jason and Maxie left her home and made their way back to the car. Before they reached it, Jason stopped her.

"Thank you for coming, I couldn't have done this alone."

Maxie nodded. "I wanted to come." She said, noticing the lights turn off in the house. "She took that really well."

"Yeah, she did. Spinelli did say she was a strong woman." Jason commented.

"I wish I would have taken it that well. I mean every time I even think about it…"

Before she could finish her sentence, Jason pulled her into his arms and hugged her. Maxie sighed and closed her eyes, relaxing against him. They stayed like that for a few moments before Maxie pulled back and looked up at Jason.

"Is it wrong that I'm attracted to you?" She asked him in a whisper, biting her lip.

"It's wrong that I'm attracted to you…" He said as he leaned down and kissed her softly on the lips, letting his linger for a moment. "But right now, I don't care."

Update coming shortly...and as always, reviews are appreciated.


	6. Chapter 6

Hope you're all enjoying the story...keep sending me feedback!

Chapter 6

As Jason and Maxie headed back to the safe house, Maxie turned in her seat slightly to look at Jason. They had shared a moment earlier but she still wasn't sure where he stood on anything. She thought of his past relationships and didn't think he had ever had one that wasn't serious. Jason was a serious man after all.

Elizabeth Webber popped into her head. Why had she forgotten about Elizabeth? She and Jason were involved; at least that's what Spinelli had told her. Wanting to know, she asked him.

"Are you seeing anyone?" She asked softly. From his reaction, she could tell he wasn't expecting that question. When he didn't respond, she asked him again. "Are you and Elizabeth still together?"

Jason took a deep breath and ran his hand over his chin, still not answering.

"Why the silent treatment all of a sudden? I don't want to be blamed for ruining another one of her relationships, Jason. I don't need another thing to add to my long list of horrible choices. I don't want you to be one of them." She whispered, hoping Jason hadn't changed his mind again and thought this was all a bad idea.

He slowed the car down and pulled off to the side. Maxie looked around, not sure what he was doing. He shut off the engine and the lights before turning to look at her. The soft moonlight illuminated her features.

"Things between Elizabeth and I are over. It got too hard." He told her honestly.

"So…what's going on with us?" She asked slowly, not sure of what his response would be.

"I never looked at you…really looked at you before. Spinelli would tell me all these great things about you and I couldn't see them. I didn't want to see them." Jason turned in his seat to face her. "I've been through a lot with Elizabeth and with Sam before her. I honestly didn't want to be involved again. But I can't deny how you make me feel."

Maxie couldn't help but smile slightly. "You know, for a man who can't usually string more than four words together, that was…I don't know what to say."

Jason cracked a smile too and leaned over to kiss her. Maxie made him feel younger and more alive…and happy. She returned the kiss eagerly, both of them trying to push the grief out of their minds. The kiss deepened and Maxie moaned softly. She slipped her shoes off and undid her seat belt before shifting in her seat to get closer.

"Jason…" She whispered, breaking the kiss for a moment to breathe. Maxie tilted her head to look up at Jason, his eyes dark with arousal.

No more words were exchanged as she climbed over the center console to straddle him. Jason reached his hand down to the lever on his seat, leaning it back. It wasn't the most conventional way, but neither of them had a problem.

When only the necessary clothes were removed, they locked eyes again. Jason gave her a soft kiss before she lowered herself down on him and brought them both to ecstasy.

Maxie laid her head on Jason's chest, their bodies calming down from the high. She smiled and closed her eyes, relishing the feeling. It had been a long time since she'd felt that good…that satisfied. And it wasn't just that. She felt wanted.

Jason expected to have regrets, but he couldn't bring himself to regret it. He rubbed her back gently and pressed a soft kiss to the top of her head.

"It shouldn't have happened like this…" He whispered quietly, disrupting the silence.

"No, no…it was perfect." She whispered back, sitting up slightly, her hands braced on his chest. "We can do it 'ordinary' next time, okay?" Maxie smiled and kissed him, her lips lingering for a moment before she gently nipped at his lip.

"I have a feeling there will be no 'ordinary' with you…" He smirked.

She laughed softly and shook her head. "Not a chance." Maxie gave him one more kiss before carefully moving back to the passenger seat and fixing herself up again. Jason did the same and put his seat up before turning on the car.

He quickly defrosted the fogged up windows and pulled back onto the road, heading towards the safe house again. There was no talking for the rest of the drive either, but they were both fine with that.

When they reached the safe house, they walked inside and Jason locked up before moving over to the fire to get it going. There was a chill in the house again and Maxie went to the couch and sat down, wrapping up in a blanket.

She watched Jason expertly build the fire and smiled, leaning her head back. When he finished, he joined her on the couch and smiled back at her. He found himself wanting to smile every time he looked at her.

"What are you smiling about?" He brushed her hair back from her face and cupped her face in his hand.

Maxie brought her hand up to his wrist and turned her head slightly to kiss his palm. "I was just watching you…thinking about how sexy you are."

"Oh really?"

"Yes really." She smiled again, genuinely happy with their new relationship. "Do you think Spinelli would be okay with this…with us?" It was important for her to know he would be. She didn't want to feel like she was betraying him in any way.

"Spinelli would want us both to be happy. If that happens to be with each other, then I think it's okay." He told her, moving closer so they could share the blanket.

"I just don't want to let him down, you know? After all he's done for me, I want to make him proud."

"And you will." He assured her. "He was already so proud of you and how far you've come."

Maxie shrugged and cuddled up to him. "Stone Cold isn't a good name for you, you know? I never really knew it before, but you're a really decent guy. Better than decent…you're actually pretty amazing, Jason."

Jason smiled slightly and closed his eyes as he held her in his arms. It wasn't long before they both drifted off to sleep.


	7. Chapter 7

This one is a little shorter, but wanted to leave it with somewhat of a cliffhanger...hope you all enjoy! Let me know what you think.

Chapter 7

Maxie woke in the morning and looked around, seeing she was back in the bedroom. Jason was asleep beside her and she smiled slightly. He had carried her in there and tucked her in too. She moved a little closer to him and gently brushed her lips against his.

Jason stirred in his sleep and rolled onto his back. Maxie watched him for a moment before she sat up and moved over to straddle him. Leaning down, she pressed another soft kiss on her lips before moving to his neck

He woke up with a smile as he realized what was going on.

"Good morning…" He whispered, moving his hands up her thighs to her waist.

"Morning…" Maxie whispered back, her voice muffled against his neck.

They spent the next hour enjoy each other before Maxie got up to take a shower. As she showered, she smiled to herself, so happy with how things had turned out with Jason. She didn't know how they would end up, but for now they were in a good place.

When she was finished washing up, she shut off the water and dried off. She came back into the bedroom again and got dressed. Jason called out to her that breakfast was ready so she made her way to the kitchen.

They sat at the table together and ate their breakfast. For a change, Jason was the one to start up the conversation. Although it was only small talk, Maxie was content with it.

After breakfast, Jason cleaned up and then went out to run some errands. Maxie took the time to do some more sketches and watch a little television. She really didn't want to be alone, but she didn't feel comfortable asking him to stay.

She pulled out her phone and opened up to her pictures folder and smiled as one of Spinelli and her popped up.

"I miss you so much already…" Maxie whispered, running her finger over his face on the screen. "I can't believe you're gone." She continued looking at the picture for a few more moments before she started speaking again. "I really hope you're okay with this whole thing with Jason and me. It was never planned, it just sort of happened. We were both so upset, you know? He made me feel better…he does make me feel better."

The door opened and Maxie turned to see Jason walking in. She hadn't even heard him at the door.

"Hey…"

"Hi, what are you doing?" He asked as he came over to the couch to sit down.

"Talking to Spinelli." She turned her phone so he could see the picture. "That's stupid, huh? I mean he's dead…"

"It's not stupid. If it helps you to talk to him, then you should. That's part of grieving."

"Do you talk to him?" She asked, setting her phone down on the table and turning slightly to face him.

Jason shook his head a little. "No, not really. It still seems like he's here though."

Maxie nodded and sighed as she laid back on the couch. Her phone rang and she sat up again, seeing Mac's name on the screen.

"Should I tell him where I am?"

"You probably shouldn't."

She took a deep breath before answering the phone. Mac immediately started asking questions and Maxie did her best to answer them without giving away where she was.

"I'm fine, really. Don't worry about me. I heard about Spinelli and…it's okay. I'll be fine."

Maxie finally managed to get off the phone with him. "Sometimes I really hate having a cop for a father." She sighed and Jason pulled her into his arms.

"He's just worried about you. You can't blame him for that. Everyone was really shocked about Spinelli."

"I know. He's always worried and it's good I guess. Especially after losing Georgie, he's really focused on making sure I'm safe. He hated the fact that I was friends with Spinelli and that he worked for you. I can't even imagine what he would do if he found out about…this."

Jason sighed, not wanting to think about it. Although the thing between them wasn't serious, he wasn't willing to give it up too easily. He enjoyed being with her, in every sense of the word.

They watched television together for a little bit before Maxie turned and kissed him softly. Jason smiled against her lips and pulled her closer as he deepened the kiss, his tongue parting her lips. She moaned softly and ran her hands over his hard chest and around to his back.

He laid her back on the couch and took the liberty of taking off his shirt in the process, breaking the kiss for a short moment. She pulled him back to her and kissed him passionately as he started to pull up her shirt.

A loud knock on the door startled them both and Jason moved away quickly. Maxie sat up, a little scared of who was at the door. Jason pulled his shirt on and made sure his gun was handy as he moved over to the door and looked through the peephole.

Groaning softly to himself, he opened the door. Maxie's jaw dropped in shock.

"Mac, what are you doing here?"


	8. Chapter 8

Let me know what you're thinking of the story so far and if you'd like me to continue....I'm open to any and all ideas, so send them my way!

Chapter 8

Maxie quickly stood from the couch and half-heartedly tried to fix herself so it didn't look she had just been making out with a man her father hated with all his being.

"What are you doing here?" She asked him, confused about how he had found her there. Then it donned on her. "Did you track my phone?!"

Mac didn't answer. Instead, he turned to look at Jason. "What the hell are you doing with my daughter?" He yelled.

Jason crossed his arms over his chest. "There was a little incident awhile back where Maxie got herself into a little trouble. I brought her here for her safety." He explained, knowing Mac wouldn't believe a word that came out of his mouth.

"It's true Mac…please…" Her words went unnoticed as Mac moved closer to Jason; anger the only emotion in his eyes.

"I will not stand for this. She doesn't deserve to be put in danger every second of her life! You are a worthless piece of..."

"Stop it!" Maxie screamed as she attempted to stand in between the two men. "You're not even listening to him and you're jumping to conclusions."

"No, I know exactly what is going on here."

Before he could speak any more, Maxie put her hand up. "Jason has helped me…so much. And for you to come here…to track me down and find me…is ridiculous. I can take care of myself, Mac. Do not take this out on Jason. All of this was my choice." She explained, tears coming to her eyes. "He helped me deal with Spinelli's death and he gave me a safe place to stay. You should be thanking him, not yelling at him. And if all you're going to do is bash him, you can leave…right now. I am not in the mood to deal with you. I make my own choices, Mac. Deal with it."

When Mac started to speak again, Jason decided to put in his two cents. "Maxie is an adult…" He started slowly and softly, not wanting Mac to go off again. "I understand where you're coming from. I do not have the ideal life; you don't have to tell me that, I know I don't. But you don't have anything to worry about. There is nothing going on between Maxie and me."

Maxie was slightly surprised when he said that. It was a lie and she felt betrayed. The way he said it made it seem like she meant nothing to him…but maybe she didn't. Maybe that was all in her head.

"I still do not want my daughter around you. I didn't like it when she was friends with Spinelli either. You are a bad influence and will only put her in danger."

"Will you just stop, please? This has nothing to do with you. And you don't have to worry about Spinelli anymore, Dad. He's dead and he's not coming back. He won't be there to put me in any danger or get me involved somehow in Jason's business. I'm sure you're thrilled." She cried, tears streaming down her face.

Jason reached out slowly to touch her shoulder but she shrugged it off and ran for the bedroom, slamming the door shut.

"Spinelli's death is still really fresh for both of us. She just needs some time."

"Don't you dare tell me what my daughter needs." Mac said loudly.

"Maxie doesn't need this right now, don't you get that? She's been through a lot lately and she lost her best friend. We both did. Please, just respect that."

Mac shook his head and sighed. "If you hurt her…"

"I know." Jason nodded. "She'll be fine here. When she wants to go back home, I'll take her."

Reluctantly, Mac left with a little coaxing and Jason shut and locked the door behind him before he went to see if Maxie was okay.

He knocked on the bedroom door softly and got no response. "Maxie?"

"Go away."

Jason sighed and ran his hand over his face, not sure why she was so upset. "Maxie…come on. What's wrong?"

"What's wrong? Maybe the fact that nothing is going on between us, Jason."

"You think I wanted to admit to your dad that we are having sex? Don't be ridiculous. That's none of his business. The less he knows, the better." Jason said through the door. "I didn't mean it like that, okay?" He added softly. "You know it's not like that…"

Maxie got up from the bed and moved over to the door, opening it a little. "I just don't want to feel like I'm being used. I don't want to have to sneak around and hide. I actually want a decent relationship for a change."

"And you deserve that. Maybe I'm not good for you. In fact, I know I'm not good for you, Maxie. We shouldn't be doing this." He said quietly.

She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to stop the tears before she nodded. "Yeah, maybe not…"

"I'm sorry. I didn't want to hurt you."

"Just go, okay? We don't need some pathetic goodbye." She whispered, keeping her eyes from his. She didn't want to cry and show him she was upset. She had to be strong.

Jason nodded and sighed softly before he walked away from the door. Maxie slowly shut it and let out a sob as she moved over to the bed to lie down. She was so angry that she let herself fall for Jason of all people. She had to have known it wouldn't work out.


	9. Chapter 9

Sorry for the delay...had a lot of school work to get done. This chapter is kind of blah, but it'll get better. Updates will get more frequent from now on...I hope. :) Enjoy!

Chapter 9

When Maxie heard the front door shut, she had a feeling her relationship with Jason was over for good. Not that they had much of a relationship, she thought to herself as she allowed herself to cry over him. She cried herself to sleep and woke up early the next morning.

The safe house reminded her too much of Jason and she couldn't stand it anymore. She packed up the few things she had with her and headed out the door. Walking made her feel a little better, but she was still upset. She had a feeling her sadness wouldn't go away very quickly.

Maxie wasn't sure where to go. She didn't want to go back to Port Charles, at least not right away. She needed some time for herself to figure out what she wanted to do with her life…a life without Jason and a life without her best friend.

As she continued to walk, she came upon a small inn. She stood on the sidewalk and looked at it for a moment before heading up to the door. She thought it was an odd place to have an inn, but from the outside, it looked pretty nice.

Maxie made her way inside and was greeted by an elderly woman. They spoke for a moment and the woman, Elda, agreed to let Maxie stay for a much cheaper price. She was shown to her room and got settled in before heading back downstairs to eat lunch with the rest of the guests.

When she finished, Maxie grabbed a paperback from a bookshelf and took it back upstairs with her. She had never been much of a reader, but there wasn't much else to do and she needed something to take her mind off Jason and everything else.

--------------------------------

Regretting everything that had been said the night before, Jason headed back to the safe house to apologize. He doubted that he and Maxie could have a successful relationship, but that didn't mean he didn't want to at least try. She made him happy and they had a good time together. That alone was worth the risk.

When he reached the safe house, he knocked on the door a few times, getting no reply. Using the key, he opened the door and called out her name. When there was still no answer, he searched the house and found it empty. She had taken all her belongings.

Immediately worried, he left and got back into the SUV. Since she didn't have a car, Jason suspected she had walked somewhere. But then again, he thought of the possibility of her calling for a cab. If she had done that, there was no telling where she would have gone.

He tried her cell, but she didn't answer. It didn't surprise him considering how they'd left things, but it didn't help to calm his worries. He knew it was his fault that she had left. Jason made a habit of taking all the blame because he didn't feel right blaming someone else. It certainly wasn't Maxie's fault things had ended.

Jason drove, not sure where he was headed. There wasn't much around in either direction and it was a toss-up as to where Maxie had gone. When he found nothing one way, he turned around and headed in the other direction. He drove for a few minutes before spotting a sign for an inn.

Slowing down, he pulled up to the curb outside and decided to stop in quickly and ask if anyone had seen her.

He went inside and was warmly greeted by a woman. Not bothering with small talk, he got right to the point of his visit.

"Have you seen a young woman, petite…blonde? Her name's Maxie." He wished he had a picture, but apparently, one wasn't needed.

"Yes, yes. Beautiful girl. She's staying upstairs actually."

"Really? That's great. Do you think I could go up and see her?"

"Well, that's not really our policy, Hun. If she doesn't want to see you, I don't want to force her. You understand, don't you?"

Jason nodded and sighed softly. "Yes, I do. She probably wouldn't want to see me." He told her and sighed again. "Will you just tell her that…" Jason was about to say his name when he saw Maxie coming down the stairs.

"Jason, what are you doing here?" Maxie asked, walking closer. She had told herself she didn't want to see Jason again, but that couldn't have been further from a lie.

"You weren't at the safe house and I got worried."

"You were worried about me?" She asked, a small smile forming on her face.

"Of course." He said quietly.

"Oh, look at you two. Love is in the air!" Elda said joyfully, grinning at the two of them.

Jason smiled slightly and Maxie reached out to take his hand.

"Come upstairs, I think we should talk."

Once in her small room, Jason and Maxie sat down on the bed. Neither of them really knew what to say.

"I'm sorry." They both said at once and then laughed awkwardly.

"You go first.." Maxie suggested, wanting to hear what he had to say.

"All right. When I left last night, I regretted it immediately. I know that you're not safe with me and it's probably not good for us to be together, but I don't care. Maybe I'm just being selfish about everything. I want you, Maxie. You make me happy." He reached over and took her hand in his gently. "I'm willing to risk it all. I'm tired of living my life the way I have been."

"What are you saying?" She asked softly, looking into his eyes.

"I'm saying…let's start over. Get a fresh start on everything."

Maxie took a deep breath before she smiled and nodded. "Yes…I want that."

Jason pulled her into his arms and closed his eyes, hoping they really could get a fresh start.


	10. Chapter 10

Thanks to everyone who has been following this story...hope everyone is still enjoying it. Let me know what you think!

Chapter 10

Maxie woke up in the safety of Jason's arm and smiled, her head resting on his chest. She lifted her head slowly, and saw that Jason was awake.

"Hey…" She said softly, moving slightly so she could kiss him.

When the kiss ended, Jason smiled slightly and cupped her face in his hand. "Hi…"

Maxie smiled wider before laying her head down again. "Is this really happening?" She asked, her fingers gently touching his chest as she spoke. They had spent the night making love and Jason had promised her many things.

"Yes." He whispered, running her back gently. "This is happening. We're together…we're happy. Nothing will change that."

She sighed in contentment and cuddled up closer to Jason, praying that was true. The night before, they had talked about what they were going to do now that they had decided to start fresh. Neither had a plan, but that was fine with both of them. That was part of the fun of starting over.

After making love once more, they showered and dressed for the day. Just as they were heading downstairs to grab something to eat, Jason's cell phone rang. He stopped and pulled it out of his pocket, looking at who was calling.

"I should take this."

"Yeah, go ahead." Maxie nodded and moved so he could go back to the room. She continued downstairs and ran into Elda.

"Well, it looks like you had a fantastic morning!" She grinned from ear to ear and Maxie shook her head and smiled.

"I did, yeah. I think Jason and I will be leaving today. We're starting over…leaving our old life behind." She said happily.

The elderly woman seemed genuinely happy for her and they discussed Maxie's plans for the future. Just as Maxie was telling Elda about finding an apartment, Jason came down the stairs. From the look on his face, it was clear there would be no fresh start.

Sighing, Maxie followed Jason into the other room.

"Bernie called. Things are starting to get really bad now."

"And you have to get back to take care of them." She finished and shook her head. "I know this was too good to be true."

"I'm sorry." Jason replied softly, reaching out to her.

Maxie didn't pull away. Although she was upset, she figured it was only a matter of time before they would have to go back to Port Charles. She moved closer to him and hugged him.

"I understand. I know how your life is, Jason. I knew it from the start and it didn't stop me. If you have to go back, then we'll go back." She said with a nod. "Your job isn't going to go away anytime soon, no matter how much we both want it to."

He rubbed her back gently and kissed the top of her head.

"I really wanted to start over and create a new life for myself…for us. But it just isn't that simple. I'm sorry, Maxie."

Maxie shook her head. "You really don't have to apologize, Jason. I get it, I really do. We'll go back to Port Charles and continue this. It might be difficult, yeah, but we can do it." She lifted her head and smiled at him. "I want to be with you. I don't care where that happens to be, okay?"

Jason cupped her cheek gently, his thumb softly moving against her skin. She closed her eyes as he leaned down and kissed her forehead.

--------------------

The two headed back upstairs to pack and get ready to leave. Since neither of them had much, it didn't take long. Back downstairs, they checked out of the inn, despite Elda's pleas for them to stay.

When neither Jason nor Maxie budged, she sighed and waved her hand. "All right, all right, it was lovely getting to know the two of you. I wish you the best of luck."

Touched by her words, Maxie hugged the elderly woman. "Maybe we'll come back some day." She suggested, not knowing what the future held. "Thank you for everything, I really appreciate it."

Jason handed the woman a few large bills and argued with her for a few moments before she agreed to take it. They said their goodbyes before, hand in hand, they left the inn and got into the SUV parked out front.

"Have I told you how glad I am that you came back?" She turned slightly in her seat to look over at him.

"Have I told you how worried I was when you weren't at the safe house?" He countered.

Maxie laughed softly and then sighed. "Well, what did you expect, Jason? You left me high and dry after a couple amazing days."

"It was a mutual decision, wasn't it?"

"Oh, whatever. You shouldn't have left and you shouldn't have told Mac what you did. If we are ever going to have a chance at something, we just need to be honest. I'm done with lying about everything. If I learned one thing from Spinelli, it was to be myself." She told him, determined to not let Spinelli down.

"Spinelli would be proud of you, Maxie." Jason said softly as he drove towards Port Charles.

Maxie shrugged and sighed, leaning back against the seat. "I'm not so sure. But I'm going to try from now on. I want to make him happy and proud of me…and I want to turn my life around and have a decent and rewarding relationship for once."

Jason didn't respond. He didn't have the best track record with women either, which was his own fault. He pushed them away when it got to be too much…too dangerous. He didn't know how things would go with Maxie.

"Don't think about it too much, all right? There's no pressure. Maybe we won't be good together; that's just something we will have to find out."

He nodded. "Yeah, I guess so."


	11. Chapter 11

Another update...hope everyone enjoys it!

Chapter 11

Neither Jason nor Maxie expected a warm welcome in Port Charles. Maxie was sure Mac had blabbed about their relationship to Lucky, or he had overheard. Then of course, he would tell Jason's ex, Elizabeth, and it would go on from there. Jason had assured her that no one would be a problem. He was committed to her, or so he said. Maxie wasn't sure how much she could trust that, but she wanted to believe him.

Jason pulled into the parking garage underneath the Harborview Towers where his penthouse was located. After they were parked, they made their way up towards the top and Jason led her inside. It was an odd feeling for Maxie to be there when Spinelli wasn't. But things were different now. Everything was different.

"Are you hungry or anything?" Jason asked as he took off his jacket and hung it in the closet near the door.

Maxie shook her head and shed her jacket as well. "No, I'm okay for now. I've been thinking about a lot of things and I've lost my appetite." She told him, draping her jacket over the back of the chair. "So…" She started softly, "am I living here now?" Her living at home with Mac probably wasn't an option anymore since she became involved with Jason.

"Yeah, if that's what you want. I'm used to having…someone else around." Jason avoided the mention of Spinelli's name, his death still hard on him and Maxie as well. Since they had begun their relationship, they had barely mentioned Spinelli.

"We can talk about him." Maxie said as she sat down on the couch.

Jason moved over to the chair and sat down as well, leaning forward. "I just…he was always here. I always had him around and now he's not anymore. I don't know what to do with his things…his laptop…" He sighed and shook his head.

Maxie scooted over closer to Jason and reached out to touch his leg. "It's okay…I know how it hard it is to say goodbye." She said softly. "But he would want us to. He would want us to go on with our lives, Jason. That's what we need to do. We have a lot of other things to worry about too. I don't know what's going on with your business, but it obviously isn't good."

He shook his head and leaned back. "Normally this would be the time when I cut all my ties with people I was involved with."

"But you're not going to do that, right?" She asked him, a little worried. When he shook his head again, she smiled slightly. "I promise I'll do whatever you want. If you want me to stay in, I can. I don't want to cause more trouble for you than I already will."

"You're not trouble."

She laughed slightly. "You're kidding, right? Half this town hates me and thinks I'm some slut, which isn't much of a stretch. That's beside the point though. Take Elizabeth for example. You had a relationship with her and I know the two of you really cared for each other. She won't be happy when she finds out about us, if she doesn't know already."

"I'm not going to worry about any of that. It's none of their business." He said matter-of-factly.

"Jason, it's not as simple as that. We are everyone's business in this town, have you not figured that out yet? It's not like anyone keeps their mouths shut, especially where you're concerned."

It seemed like ever since she could remember, everyone knew what Jason Morgan was doing, or who he was doing for that matter. Mac also had a habit of blaming Jason for every mob related killing, or any death in Port Charles. Now that Jason and Maxie were together, Maxie was smack dab in the middle of all of it.

"It might be difficult, yeah. But nothing worthwhile is, Maxie. Over the years I've learned that."

"I just don't understand how you can be so calm about all of this. I know there's not a lot we can do to stop the gossiping or the meddling from everyone around us. I've just never been good with trying to be on my best behavior."

"No one is asking you to be, okay? Just be yourself, that's all I want and expect." He told her. "I don't want you to pretend to be anything you're not with me. Spinelli was so accepting of your flaws and I want to be too. You deserve that. No one is perfect, Maxie."

She nodded and smiled slightly. "Thank you, that's sweet. You know, I never would have thought that we would have ended up together. I don't think anyone would have seen this coming."

Jason laughed softly and shook his head. "Especially a certain police commissioner," He sighed. "I mean I understand how he feels. He doesn't want you around me and I don't blame him at all. The business I'm in…it's not good for you to be involved."

"I know, Jason. We've been over this. He freaked out over Spinelli too, but it's my decision. I want to see where this goes." Maxie said softly as she got up from the couch and moved over to the chair, sitting on his lap.

He wrapped his arms around her and she got herself comfortable.

"We have a very long road ahead of us, don't we?" Jason asked as he rubbed her back softly.

"Oh, yeah…very, very long and hard. But we will just work through that and not be concerned with what other people have to say about our relationship. Because it is ours and only ours." She said softly, closing her eyes.

Jason closed his too, relaxing with her in his arms.

"You probably don't want to hear this right now…" Maxie whispered. "But I'm falling in love with you, Jason."

He was silent for a moment as he slowly spoke. "You're not alone." He whispered back, a little scared of how strongly he felt for her already.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

As Carly approached the door of Jason's penthouse, she heard giggling coming from inside. She crossed her arms over her chest and tilted her head in curiosity before knocking. The giggling stopped abruptly and then she heard Jason laugh.

"Put your clothes back on." He grinned as he put his shirt back on.

Maxie hurried to get herself dressed again before sitting back down on the couch, a smile plastered on her face. Jason did a once over of how he looked before moving over to the door.

He looked through the peephole and saw Carly standing there, obviously curious about whom was inside. Jason looked over his shoulder at Maxie before opening the door and moving aside slightly to let her in.

"What's going on here?" She asked, glancing over at Maxie before turning her attention to Jason with a smile. Although Carly wasn't Maxie's biggest fan, she had approved of some of the things Maxie had done in the past. In a way, the two of them were alike.

"Uh…nothing." He lied and smiled a little. "Is everything okay?" As always, Jason focused on his concern for Carly, knowing she routinely got herself into trouble.

She nodded. "I just came for a visit, but I can see you're busy."

Maxie stood up and quickly grabbed her bra she couldn't find earlier. "I'm going to take a shower." She announced and flashed Jason a smile before heading up the stairs to the bathroom, giving them some time to talk.

"Maxie Jones? I didn't know she was your type."

Jason took a deep breath. "I don't have a type."

Carly merely shrugged. "I heard about what happened to Spinelli. I'm really sorry Jason…" She said softly, reaching out to touch his arm. "But it seems like you're really happy now."

He nodded. "Yeah, I am for a change. Spinelli's death hit us both hard. Maybe this is just our way of coping." It had occurred to him that his relationship with Maxie could have solely been to fill a void Spinelli had left in both of them.

"Don't lie to yourself, Jason. I know you better than anyone and I can assure you that you don't have that in you. You wouldn't use her or any other woman for that matter. That's not like you." She smiled then. "I saw the look in your eye when you watched her go upstairs. This is something real for you and don't deny it, Jase." She warned him. "I wouldn't believe you."

"I can say that I am genuinely happy. I don't really like the fact that this happened because of what happened to Spinelli…but Maxie has really made a difference in how I'm dealing with it all."

"Then you can't just throw that away. If she makes you happy, then pursue something with her. Don't push her away like you do with all the other women in your life. You deserve some happiness, Jason. Seeing you happy is making up for the lack of happiness in my life."

"Things still rocky between you and Jax?" He asked, crossing his arms.

"When aren't they nowadays?" She shook her head and sighed. "It's better actually. We're not fighting as much, so that's a good sign."

"Yeah. I want you to be happy too, Carly."

Carly gave him a smile and a quick hug. "Well, I'll let you get back to your little girlfriend. Maybe you should join her in the shower." She grinned and squeezed his arm.

Jason laughed softly and led her out. They said their goodbyes before Jason shut the door and made his way over to the couch. He smiled to himself and lay back, closing his eyes.

A loud knock startled him and Jason opened his eyes, sitting up. "Who is it?" He called out.

"It's Mac, open the door."

Jason groaned and shook his head before he stood up and walked over to the door. He opened it and stepped aside, allowing Mac to come inside.

"We've already discussed everything we need to, Mac." Jason said solidly. "So please, just make it quick."

"Is Maxie here?" He asked. Jason nodded. "I'd like to speak with her."

"She's in the shower." Jason watched as Mac's jaw tightened. "She should be done soon, I'll tell her you're here."

He headed upstairs and knocked on the bathroom door. "Mac is here to see you. He's waiting downstairs."

"Oh, all right." She called out, not too thrilled to have to talk to him again.

"I have some business I need to take care of, so I'll see you later, okay? I won't be long."

"Yeah, I'll see you later. Tell Mac I'll be down in a couple minutes."

Jason headed back downstairs and relayed the message to Mac.

"I would appreciate it if you would just hear Maxie out. Don't jump down her throat about how dangerous I am. She is well aware of the risks. She knew them when she was hanging around with Spinelli. It's not new to her. Besides, it's her choice to make, not yours Mac."

Mac nodded. "That's not why I'm here. Although I don't approve, I know nothing I say to Maxie will make her stay away from you."

"So why are you here?"

"There's been some evidence that Spinelli is still alive."

Jason stared at him wide-eyed, his jaw open in shock.

"Spinelli could be alive?"

Cliff hanger! Next update will be in a few days...


	13. Chapter 13

You'll have to wait a little longer for the Spinelli thing...but it's coming. Happy Holidays everyone! I'll update this weekend probably.

Chapter 13

Maxie stared out the window, watching as the rain poured down from the sky. With a sigh, she rested the side of her head against the window.

"Could it really be true?" She asked in a whisper as she heard Jason approach her from behind. He moved closer and wrapped his arms around her.

"I guess anything's possible. They didn't find his body, so there's no real proof he's dead. I think we all just jumped to the worst possible conclusion." He replied softly and kissed her hair gently before taking a deep breath.

About an hour before, Mac had left in a hurry without elaborating on any details he had about Spinelli. Jason had broken the news to Maxie and they shared a moment of joy and hope about what could be. There was a chance that Spinelli was alive and they both wanted to hold onto that.

Now, after some of that initial hope had died, things were somber once again. Although Maxie had wanted to convince herself that Spinelli wasn't dead, she hadn't succeeded. It was only a matter of time before the people in her life she cared about the most turned up dead or left her in some other fashion.

She leaned back against Jason and closed her eyes, saying a silent prayer.

As if he could sense how Maxie was feeling, Jason held her tighter. "Everything will be okay, Maxie." He whispered, trying to reassure her. If Spinelli was alive, they would both be beyond ecstatic. But if he was dead and it was confirmed he was never coming back, it would be even worse than before.

Jason was worried about how Maxie would deal with it, but he knew there wasn't much he could do to help her. He held her for a few moments longer before the phone rang loudly. After pressing a soft kiss to the top of her head, he moved away from her and answered the phone.

He listened to the voice on the other end before hanging up the phone with a soft sigh. Maxie turned and looked over at him.

"Do you have to go?" She asked softly. When he nodded, she moved closer to him. "All right…I'll be okay here for a while."

Jason closed the gap between them and hugged her for a few moments. "I won't be long." He promised. When he pulled away, he gently brushed his lips over hers. "If you need anything, call me."

Maxie nodded and watched as he put on his jacket and took his gun out of the case. She turned around when he did that and moved back over to the couch to sit down. They said goodbye quickly before he left.

With little to do, Maxie grabbed the TV remote and turned it on, flipping channels until she found something worthwhile to watch.

She cuddled up on the couch with a blanket, getting herself comfortable. A knock on the door shortly after caused her to sigh. Maxie threw the blanket off and got up, hoping it wasn't someone she didn't want to see. She rose on her tiptoes and looked through the peephole. A smile formed as she saw it was Robin.

She backed away a little and opened the door, letting her come in. "What are you doing here?" Maxie asked as she shut and locked the door.

"Well, I overheard some news and I thought I would find out if it was true for myself. It looks like it is." Robin looked around the apartment and then at her cousin.

"If you're going to give me some lecture about how I shouldn't be with Jason, you can just go. I know it's probably not such a great idea. I know the risks and I know what I'm getting myself into." She explained, defending herself.

Robin smiled slightly. "Yes, I know. I was with Jason once too; you don't need to tell me." She laughed softly and moved over to the couch, taking a seat. "Come sit."

Maxie made her way over to the couch and sat down beside her cousin. "So if you're not here to lecture me, then why are you here? Not that I'm not happy to see you and all of that…"

"I just wanted to make sure you were okay. I heard about Spinelli and I know how close you were; both you and Jason, actually. I wanted to extend my sympathies for your loss."

The blond smiled sadly, deciding not to mention that Spinelli could be alive. She didn't want to get her hopes up and then have them smashed to pieces once again. "Thank you…I appreciate it."

"No problem. So, tell me. How did all of this happen with you and Jason? Last I'd heard the two of you didn't get along too great."

"Yeah, well, when he told me that Spinelli was dead, we kind of found comfort in each other. Not right away, but soon after. It was pretty rocky, you know? But, it happened." She explained, not sure how to describe it.

"What happened exactly?" Robin asked, wanting to better understand the situation.

Maxie took a deep breath. "We went to tell Spinelli's grandma what had happened and then outside in the car, one thing led to another…"

"In the car? Wow." Car sex was something Robin would not even consider experimenting with.

"Yeah, I know. Not exactly the best place for a first time, but it was good regardless." Maxie grinned a little and then laughed softly. "Anyway, then we went back to the safe house and eventually Mac showed up. He confronted Jason and then Jason and I got in an argument, then he left."

"Rocky is right, I guess."

"Oh, but I'm not done, not nearly." She said. "I left after that, not wanting to be stuck in the safe house anymore. I was mad at Jason because he basically told Mac that there was nothing going on between us, you know? I didn't want to lie to people anymore. I wanted a decent relationship for a change."

Robin nodded. "That's good. You do deserve a healthy relationship after all you've gone through."

"Yeah, well he tracked me down and we kind of had a heart to heart. He told me he wanted to have a fresh start and really commit to this. But of course, he got a call and that's when we came back to Port Charles."

"And are you okay with that?" Robin asked.

Maxie nodded. "Yeah, I am. I mean, it would have been nice to start over somewhere, but I knew that was asking a lot of both of us."

"Well, I'm happy for you, as long as you're happy. I have known Jason for a long time and he is a good guy. It will certainly take some time for Mac to come around, but as long as Jason treats you okay and you're fine with everything, then I think this is good for the both of you." She said. "You both deserve some happiness and in a way, you're good for each other. Jason doesn't say things he doesn't mean, so I don't think he's leading you on, you know?"

Maxie nodded again. "I don't think he is either. He seems really genuine about it all, but it's hard to kind of wrap my head around it all. But for now, I am happy and I guess that's all I can ask for."

The two hugged and said their goodbyes.

"Good luck, Maxie."

She smiled. "Thank you. Stop by anytime…but maybe call first. We might be busy." Maxie laughed.

Robin laughed too, understanding what she was referring to. "I will. I love you."

"I love you too."

They hugged again before Robin left, leaving Maxie with a smile on her face. It felt good to have someone support her and Jason and have someone on her side.


	14. Chapter 14

Keep the reviews coming...I love to hear what you guys think about the story! Thank you to everyone who does review, I appreciate it...especially Dee, your enthusiasm really helps me. :)

Chapter 14

It was late when Jason walked through the door. Maxie had attempted to wait up, but sleep took a hold of her. He smiled as he quietly moved over to the couch and watched her. Jason bent down and gently brushed the hair out of her face before moving to the chair to sit down.

She woke up shortly after and looked around for a moment before her eyes found Jason.

"You little creeper…" She whispered, a smile forming on her face.

He laughed softly. "Sorry I'm so late."

"It's fine…is everything okay?" Still sleepy, she didn't bother sitting up.

Jason nodded and got up from the chair. "Yeah, everything's okay. How was your night?" He came over to her and sat down on the edge of the couch, brushing her hair out of her face again.

"I had a visitor." She said softly, turning a little. "No one bad, thankfully. Just Robin."

"Oh, that's good. What did she want?" He asked, resting his elbow on the back of the couch as he looked down at Maxie.

"Well, she heard about Spinelli, so she came over to give her condolences. She also heard that we were dating or whatever…" She waved her hand slightly, not wanting to put a label on what they had, not that she knew what it was anyway.

He nodded. "Was she okay with it?"

"Yeah, she was supportive. She wants us both to be happy, so I guess I have my own Carly, huh?" She laughed softly. Carly had always annoyed her in some ways, but knowing how much she supported and cared about Jason changed some things for her. She may not have been the most decent woman in the world, but she was a great friend.

"Looks like it. I figured Robin wouldn't have an issue with us being together." He commented softly. Because he had a relationship with Robin in the past, he knew it wouldn't have been right for Robin to tell Maxie she couldn't see him.

"What time is it?" Maxie asked, changing the subject.

Jason looked up at the clock on the mantel. "Late. Time for bed…"

Maxie slowly grinned. "But not time for sleep just yet."

"Aren't you tired?" He asked, smiling too.

"Yeah, but not tired enough to turn down hot, steamy sex with my hunk of a boy-" She sighed then, not sure what to call him.

He sensed her frustration and touched her cheek. "Boyfriend…" Jason whispered and leaned down to kiss her soft lips.

She smiled and returned his kiss, wrapping her arms around his strong upper body. The kiss deepened slowly before he pulled back a little and lifted her up in his arms. Maxie laughed a little and wrapped her arms around his neck as he carried her upstairs.

They got to the bedroom and he laid her down on the bed before pulling off his black t-shirt and tossing it on the floor. Maxie grinned and sat up a little, lifting her arms in the air. Jason pulled her pajama shirt off with ease and grinned back at her.

"So beautiful…" He whispered.

Maxie blushed a little. Jason wasn't too big on compliments, so what little he said about her had a big impact. She reached for him pulling him down to her, their lips meeting in a passionate kiss. A moan escaped her lips as his moved down her body. She closed her eyes and laid back, enjoying it.

Jason's lips slowly made a trail down her soft skin, stopping when he reached her navel. He lifted his head and saw her eyes closed, her breathing rhythmic. She was sound asleep. With a shake of his head, he laughed and got off the bed to change into some sweats.

He got her under the covers once he was changed and crawled in with her, wrapping her up in his arms. It wasn't long before he too was fast asleep.

The next morning, Maxie awoke to the sound of an alarm. Groaning, she rolled away from Jason and covered her ears with her hands. The noise stopped after another few seconds.

"What, you don't like that?" Jason teased softly, rolling over and squeezing her tightly. He brushed his lips over her bare shoulder.

"Do you know anyone who would?" She countered, her voice muffled by the pillow her face was stuffed in.

He smiled and cuddled up beside her. "Did you sleep well? You were really tired last night…"

"Yeah…" Maxie nodded slightly before it dawned on her. "Oh, God!" She quickly rolled over, facing Jason. "I fell asleep on you, didn't I? Damn, that's never happened." She sighed, a little in shock.

"Should I be insulted?" He asked jokingly.

"No, no…of course not." She laughed. "Apparently I was just way too tired. You could have continued, I wouldn't have minded."

"I would have. I prefer an active participant…" He brought his hand up to her face and touched her cheek gently with the tips of his fingers.

"Oh, I know you do." She smiled seductively and closed the small gap between them to give him a quick kiss. She pulled back and put her fingers on his lips, stopping him from snagging another kiss.

He frowned, not sure what Maxie was doing.

"Morning breath is disgusting. Although I am a big fan of morning sex, I will not have it with morning breath. Kind of like that green eggs and ham thing, I guess." She told him, her head turned slightly.

He gave her another look, not getting the reference to the beloved Dr. Seuss book.

Maxie laughed a little and patted his cheek. "Never mind." She leaned in and gave him a peck on the cheek before climbing out of bed to head to the bathroom.

Jason smiled and rolled over, looking up at the ceiling. He was in for one hell of a time.


	15. Chapter 15

Again, thank you to all my reviewers..you guys are the best!

Chapter 15

Later that day, after a few rounds of non-morning breath sex, Jason's phone rang. He leaned against the desk downstairs as he answered it.

"How's the cradle robbing going?" A familiar voice asked him before laughing.

"Hi, Carly." He smiled, ignoring her question. "What do you want?"

She had stopped laughing, but he could still hear the humor in her voice. "Having a bad day are we? That's not a very welcoming greeting, Jase."

"I'm so glad you called, Carly. I've been waiting by the phone all day." Jason replied sarcastically and smiled again.

"Am I interrupting anything?" She asked, curious.

He sighed. "No, Carly. You're not. Did you need something?"

"Actually, I do. There is a benefit dinner tonight at The Metro Court and I would really like it if you would come. Maxie is invited too, so don't use that as an excuse."

Jason rubbed his jaw. "I don't know, Carly." He liked the fact that his relationship with Maxie was relatively private and low key.

"Oh, come on. It has to happen sometime, so it should be at my fundraiser." She told him. "If anyone gives you any problems, I promise I will step in, all right? I want you to be there, Jason."

He sighed again. Carly had a way of talking him into things he wasn't interested in doing. "I'll ask her if she wants to go. It'll be up to her."

"Okay, I'll take that. It starts at seven, wear a tux." She smiled and hung up, convinced he would be there.

Jason hung up and turned around, bracing himself on the desk with his hands. He wasn't too keen on the idea of making his relationship public knowledge to the who's who of Port Charles. The majority of the town already had a negative view of him and adding a relationship with a younger woman to that mix would spell disaster. But, like he told Carly, it was up to Maxie.

"Hey, hot stuff!" Maxie grinned as she came down the stairs and over to Jason. He turned, his eyes following her as she sat down on the desk in front of him.

He laughed a little and leaned in to kiss her lips. She had already changed him and made him so much happier than he had been. Maxie was a breath of fresh air, one he desperately needed.

Her legs came around his waist, pulling him closer. She ran her hands over his hard chest before pulling back slightly. "Is everything okay?"

He licked his lips and nodded. "Yeah, Carly just called. She's having some fundraiser tonight and she wanted me…us…to go."

"Oh…" She said, not sure if she was ready for that either. "So what did you tell her?"

"I told her that I would ask you and that it would be up to you."

"Meaning you don't really want to go, right? Or do you?"

He shrugged, not saying anything.

"This would be a good time for you to use some words, Jason." She smiled slightly and nudged him with her leg. "Do you want to go?"

Jason pulled back a little and Maxie dropped her legs from around his waist. "Do you think it's too soon?"

"I'm asking you. What do you think?"

He shrugged again and Maxie shot him a glare. Jason laughed softly, receiving a smile from her. "I think that maybe it would be good to just get it out of the way, you know? Let people see us…"

"You mean let them judge us and give us weird looks all night?" She asked.

"I'll tell Carly you don't want to go." Jason said softly.

"Hey, that's not what I said. I actually want to go. I think it would be nice to have a night out with you. We haven't been on a date, you know?..."

"Is that a hint?" He smiled, moving back over to her.

She simply shrugged. "Something you should probably think about…"

He nodded and braced his hands on the desk on either side of her body. "I do think about it."

"You do?" Maxie didn't know if Jason was too big on dates or not. She figured he had to have gone on some, but she never really saw him out anywhere.

"Yeah, I do. I think about you a lot too…" He smiled and leaned in closer, brushing his lips gently across hers.

She smiled back and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him with her as she lay back on the desk. The kiss deepened quickly and soon, the necessary garments were thrown to the side.

Maxie looked up into Jason's eyes for a few moments afterward and touched his cheek. What she saw in his eyes surprised her a little. "Jason…"

"Yeah?..." He whispered so softly she could barely hear him.

She brought his lips back to hers and kissed him gently, her eyes closed to try and prevent the tears. She was falling in love with him and if she wasn't mistaken, Jason had the same look in his eyes.


	16. Chapter 16

As always, thanks to the reviewers. Only a few more chapters until this is all over... :( Enjoy!

Chapter 16

After making a trip back home, Maxie returned dressed and ready to go. She had also taken the time to pack some more of her clothes and things from home. She wasn't sure if she was officially living with Jason or not, so she decided to leave most of the things in the car and just bring up the smallest bag of clothes.

"All ready?" Jason asked as he let her in and smiled. "You look beautiful." He complimented her softly.

"Thank you." She returned his smile and gave him an approving look over. "So do you. Well, handsome anyway." She laughed a little and set her bag down just inside the door before Jason gave her a soft kiss. "Don't mess up my make-up; I spent a lot of time on it." Maxie pushed him away playfully.

He laughed. "All right, all right. I won't touch you." Jason held his hands up in the air.

"Would you like to bet on that?" She grinned. Since they had become more serious, if you could even call it that, the two couldn't keep their hands off each other.

"No, I don't think I would." He said with a smile as he buttoned his suit jacket and smoothed it out. "Ready?"

She nodded and the two left the Penthouse, going the short distance to The Metro Court on foot.

Jason walked off the elevator, Maxie at his side. They looked around the restaurant, now decorated very tastefully with silver and black with accents of gold here and there. There was already a good turnout despite it being just after seven.

"Wow, I'm impressed. Who knew Carly could pull something like this off?" She commented. But then again, The Metro Court routinely hosted benefits like the one they had just arrived at. "This one seems more formal than the others." Maxie added to clarify, not wanting to come off as a bitch, at least not that night.

"Jason, you made it!" Carly approached the two of them with a smile. "You look very handsome. And you Maxie…that dress is to die for."

Maxie smiled at the genuine compliment and thanked the other woman. Jason looked pleased as well with the compliment.

"You look incredible, Carly. That dress suits you really well." Maxie said, wanting to make a good impression. The two talked about their dresses for a few moments and Jason excused himself to get drinks.

"You've done a good job with him." Carly said softly, watching Jason as he walked away. "He seems very happy with you."

Maxie could tell it was a little tough for Carly to say that. She smiled slightly and nodded a little. "Yeah, I'm happy too. This wasn't something either of us suspected, but it's certainly turned out to be a good thing for both of us."

"I know with Spinelli's death and everything else that was going on in his life, it got really tough for him."

Maxie nodded. "Yeah, it hit us both hard." She replied, not wanting to think about Spinelli too much. There was a chance he was alive, but like she had told herself before, she wasn't going to get her hopes up.

"Well, I'm glad he has someone. I try to get him to talk to me, but I'm sure you've already figured out that's not really one of his strong suits." Carly laughed softly.

The younger woman laughed too and nodded again. "Yeah, that I figured out pretty quickly."

It wasn't long before Jason returned, interrupting them, and handed a drink to Maxie.

"I should get around to the other guests. You two enjoy yourself and if you need anything, just let me know."

"Thank you, Carly." Jason gave her a small smile. When she walked away, he turned to his date. "What were the two of you talking about?"

"Why you, of course." She replied with a grin before sipping her drink. "So…what are we going to do tonight? We could dance." Maxie suggested and then shook her head a little. "No, you don't dance…we could just sit down for a little bit."

"We can dance." He offered.

"Are you sure?" She asked, a little unsure herself.

He nodded and took her hand before leading her out to the balcony overlooking the city. There were only a few others around getting fresh air, so it was a more private option than the middle of the room. They set their drinks down on the ledge before Jason pulled her into his arms.

Maxie got herself comfortable, her arms draped loosely around his neck as they slowly started to sway to the music. A smile formed on her lips as she breathed in his cologne. He smelled so incredibly good, manly yet soothing. It was the perfect mixture for him.

Jason's fingers gently glided over the fabric of her dress, resting just above her butt as they continued to sway. When the music slowed to a stop, Maxie pulled away a little and smiled up at Jason.

"Thank you for the dance." She whispered.

He returned her smile and leaned down to press a soft kiss to her waiting, slightly parted lips. "You're welcome." He whispered back when the kiss ended.

Maxie was leaning up for another kiss when out of the corner of her eye, she noticed someone watching them. Immediately, she lowered herself and moved away a little before she turned slightly, reaching for her drink. Jason wasn't sure what had happened until he turned around, seeing what she had seen. Elizabeth.


	17. Chapter 17

A few of you have asked about future Jason and Maxie stories and because I have grown fond of the two, I am interested in writing more. It just all depends on what my schedule is like with school and everything. I don't know how much time I'll have to devote to writing, but I do hope to start on another story in the near future. Possibly even a sequel...you'll all have to stay tuned to see. :)

Chapter 17

Maxie turned away, looking out at the view as she took a long drink. She didn't want an altercation with Elizabeth, but she had a feeling there would be one. She saw Jason turn out of the corner of her eye; turning to face Elizabeth.

Deciding it was her responsibility to the relationship too; she turned around as well and set her drink down, waiting for someone to say something. Apparently the upcoming confrontation was something people wanted to see. Maxie took a quick glance over at the doors to the balcony and sighed at the size of the crowd forming there. Not only would she have to deal with Elizabeth being selfish and idiotic about Maxie's relationship with Jason, she would have to do it in front of a crow.

She nudged Jason a little, wanting him to just put an end to it. Jason and Elizabeth were over; it was as simple as that. He had moved on to someone better for him, but it was clear she would never see that.

"Elizabeth…not here." Jason said softly. He had wanted to enjoy his night out with Maxie, but it was becoming clear that wouldn't be happening.

"I'm not here to cause any problems, Jason." She replied just as softly as she looked from him to Maxie.

Maxie crossed her arms under her chest and gave Elizabeth a glare. "Then why even approach us at all?" Maxie asked. But of course, it was what Maxie would have done as well.

"Lucky mentioned it to me and I had to see if it was really true." Elizabeth turned her attention back to Jason, looking him in the eye to try and find some answers. "You're with _her_?"

The younger woman rolled her eyes and waited for Jason to defend her…defend his girlfriend.

"Don't do this." He simply said.

Maxie wasn't too happy with his response. She wanted him to tell Elizabeth all the reasons that she was so great and how good they were together.

"I get that you're upset, but this doesn't involve you. You and I are not involved anymore, Elizabeth."

Elizabeth shook her head and looked down at the drink in her hand. "So instead you move on to Maxie Jones of all people? After all that we went through, you're just going to throw that away?"

"Give it a rest." Maxie said, joining in on the conversation. "You and Jason are over. He's moved on and you just need to get over it. Not everything is about you and your precious little life. Not everyone has to be with you or involved with you to be happy or have a decent life. Jason's done with you, Elizabeth." She told her, standing her ground. She kept her arms tightly crossed, not wanting to do something and make an even bigger scene.

"When have I said everything is about me? Maybe you should look in the mirror for a change." Elizabeth countered, starting to sound a little whiny, at least to Maxie. But then again, that was how she always sounded. She never understood how Elizabeth ended up with so many men.

Maxie laughed softly and rolled her eyes. "You've got to be kidding me…how dense can you be? Everything is always about you and you call me selfish? At least I'm not the one making a scene at a benefit dinner for Jason's best friend. Unlike you, I actually care about Jason and I have his best interests at heart. So leave us alone, Elizabeth. Have some shred of decency."

"Please Elizabeth. Just go. If you feel like you need to talk to me, that's fine. But we really don't have anything to talk about anymore." Jason informed her.

Maxie looked over at Jason and smiled slightly, glad he was telling Elizabeth to go and glad he was able to make that kind of a gesture in front of everyone.

Elizabeth's jaw clenched as Jason reached over and laid his hand on Maxie's back gently. But it was the smile that took her over the edge. She swirled her drink around absently as she stood there, not sure what to do. Rage built inside her and with a flick of her wrist, she emptied the contents of her beverage on Maxie's dress.

She stood there stunned, looking down at her dress that was sure to be ruined. Her jaw was dropped, and she was unable to move or speak. Jason tried to comfort her but she pushed him away.

"You bitch!" Maxie heard Elizabeth say. "How could you get involved with such a slut?"

Maxie felt sick to her stomach from the embarrassment of it all. Unlike her normal self, she coward from everything, just wanting to flee. When Jason had no response to Elizabeth's words, she managed to get up the strength to walk away, her head held high.

The crowds parted when she neared and after she made it through them, she practically ran to the elevator. She jabbed at the button multiple times, praying one of the doors would open soon and save her from the embarrassment. She could feel everyone's eyes on her and she wanted to scream. Finally, just as she was contemplating making a run for the stairs, one of the doors opened.

Quickly, she got in and pressed the button for the lobby. She looked out at the room, seeing no sign of Jason. He hadn't even bothered to follow her out. That realization broke her and she let out a sob as the doors slowly closed.

The ride went quickly and she managed to pull herself together a little before the doors opened again and she stepped out into the lobby. Walking straight for the door, she pushed one open for herself, ignoring the doorman.

Her pace picked up and before long, she was running for the penthouse, wanting so desperately to get away from everyone and everything.

Maxie managed to get up from the main floor to the one the penthouse was on relatively fast. She pulled out her key as the doors opened and she walked the few feet to Jason's door. It took here a moment to get up enough composure to get the right key in the door and get it open. When she was finally inside, she let herself go.

When she looked down at her dress again, another wave of tears came and she hurried into the kitchen to try and salvage her dress. There was still no sign of Jason.


	18. Chapter 18

Sorry in advance for any delays that are ahead...Just starting to get the hang of my classes and do all that stuff. I will try and get another chapter up Saturday for you guys. This one is a little racier towards the end...and there's a little surprise :) Enjoy and review!

Chapter 18

Maxie stripped down to her strapless bra and matching panties, the tears still flowing freely down her cheeks. Her makeup was ruined, but there was a more important matter at hand. Her dress, her beautiful and expensive Frederico original made as a thank you for all her hard work.

She ran some water in the sink and started soaking her dress. Dish soap wouldn't work and she knew that, but tried it anyway. Not about to give up on her gorgeous dress, she quickly headed to the laundry room and rummaged through the cabinets, trying to find something, anything that might do the trick.

Hurrying back to the kitchen, she poured some detergent on the soaking stain, rubbing it delicately. She didn't hear Jason come in.

"Any luck?" He asked softly as he walked over to her, deciding to keep his distance for the moment.

With a groan, she turned around and glared at him. "What do you think? I got red wine poured all over the front of my dress. Do you realize how much this dress is worth?! Well…was worth, I guess. It's ruined now." She sobbed softly, throwing the wet dress down in the sink.

It wasn't just the dress that was upsetting her, Jason knew that. She had wanted to enjoy the night out as much as Jason did, but now, that was all ruined.

"I'm sorry about tonight…" He ventured.

"Oh really? I couldn't tell. You let _Elizabitch_ throw a drink at me and make a scene like that when we were trying to have a decent night out for the first time!" She practically screamed. "And then you didn't even follow me out! Did you realize how embarrassed I was?" Maxie wiped at her eyes a little, smearing her makeup. When she pulled her hands away, she saw the dark smears of her eye shadow, liner and mascara. She hadn't planned on having such an eventful night.

Jason moved closer and reached out to her, but she ignored his hand and moved away slightly.

"I'm really not in the mood, okay?" Maxie whispered, another batch of tears threatening to spill.

He sighed and ran his hand over his jaw, not sure what to say or do. "I'm sorry, Maxie. I am. I should have put a stop to it right when she came over, but I honestly didn't think anything like this would happen."

"Because she's always such an angel, right?" She shook her head and turned around, looking at her dress in the sink once again.

"Elizabeth has her moments and so do you."

"Please do not compare me with her ever again." Maxie warned.

"I'm not saying what she did was right. You didn't deserve that." He stepped forward then and gently turned her around. "I didn't follow you because I wanted to have a talk with Elizabeth. I wanted to tell her how I felt about you. I wanted her to know that she and I were over and that you, Maxie…that you are my future." Jason said softly, his hand moving up to cup her cheek.

A tear fell down her cheek and she closed her eyes for a moment as he gently wiped it away.

"I just really wanted to have a great night with you…to show everyone that we were happy and that we weren't going to hide it." She whispered, opening her eyes. Jason nodded. "And when she did that, I, for once in my life, I decided to not do anything back. I wanted people to think I had grown up and I was better than that. I wanted them to think that I was grown up enough to be with you." Maxie admitted and looked down a little.

Jason gently tilted her head back up. "You of all people know it doesn't matter what other people think. You just need to focus on the good things, okay? We are happy. You are good for me and I don't want to be with anyone else. People might not agree with that, but it's up to them. It's up to us."

Maxie smiled a little and then sighed. "I look so horrible."

He laughed slightly and shook his head. "I disagree. You are beautiful."

She rolled her eyes. "You have officially lost your mind, Jason Morgan." A bigger smile formed on her face and she wrapped her arms around his muscular body. "Could we still salvage our night?"

Jason gave her a smile and a slow nod before leaning in to kiss her softly. The kiss started off slow and Maxie moved her hands to his dress shirt, undoing the buttons with ease. Neither bothered to move things upstairs.

As Jason's lips moved down to the soft skin of her neck, a small moan escaped her lips and she tilted her head to the side to give him better access. His hands, so big yet gentle on her body, caressed her to no end.

Maxie grabbed his suit jacket in her hands and pushed it off his shoulders roughly. He helped her get it off the rest of the way before picking her up with ease and setting her down on the kitchen counter.

He pulled away and the two grinned at each other. As he worked on getting his shirt off, Maxie bit her lip and watched him, giddy with excitement. After the night she had, she desperately wanted to escape it with a night of crazy sex with the man she was falling in love with.

The dress shirt and wife beater joined the suit jacket on the floor as Jason moved back in between Maxie's legs. The kissing started up once again, passionate and thorough. Maxie couldn't remember the last time she'd experienced a kiss that wow-worthy. But wow was certainly not the word.

She moaned once more into his mouth and he groaned in response, the passion and excitement growing in his body.

"Stone Cold and Maximista?!" Came a startled and confused cry.

Both Jason and Maxie were too stunned to move. When it downed on them, Maxie quickly moved Jason to the side.

"Spinelli?" She slid down off the counter and rushed over to him, wrapping her arms around his body tightly. More tears came, but this time, they were tears of joy. "You're alive!"

Jason stood with his back to them, waiting for his body to calm down and for his brain to figure out what the hell he was going to do.


	19. Chapter 19

I'm thinking 2, maybe 3 chapters left...hope you guys enjoy this!

Chapter 19

Jason reached down to the floor and grabbed his shirts. He quickly pulled on the wife beater before he held the dress shirt out to Maxie so she could cover up. He felt awkward and embarrassed by what Spinelli had walked in on. Spinelli loved Maxie, so for him to witness what had been going on must have been very tough.

"I can't believe you're here and you're alive…" Maxie said as she Jason's shirt around her body. She was too focused on Spinelli, completely forgetting what he'd walked into.

"The Jackal is indeed alive and unharmed." He said softly, glancing over at his mentor and friend, Stone Cold. He frowned then, not sure whether he could still refer to Jason as a friend. Stone Cold and Maximista had gotten to know each other in the biblical sense and that fact was hard to digest.

Jason swallowed hard and moved closer to them, extending his hand to Spinelli. The gesture seemed cold, but Jason figured a hug would be rejected. Spinelli took his hand and shook it awkwardly.

"You had us both very worried." He said softly. "We didn't want to believe it…"

"But we saw a picture. I guess they were just fooling us." Maxie added. "We didn't know what to do…and I had been threatened and…never mind. None of that matters anymore." She wrapped her arms around Spinelli once again.

"Is the fair Maximista all right?" Spinelli asked, concerned about his dear friend.

"Yes, thanks to Jason. He took me to a safe house, but maybe I didn't even need to go. I don't know…but I'm fine. I was just really scared."

Spinelli pulled back a little and laid his hand gently on Maxie's cheek. "I am forever grateful that Stone Cold took so good care of Maximista." He looked over at Jason and smiled slightly before getting a worried look on his face. "I have a feeling the Jackal is unaware of occurrences during his absence."

"Maybe we should all just sit down." She suggested, glancing to Jason. Maxie could tell he was conflicted and she prayed he wouldn't just toss her to the side.

Both men agreed and the three of them headed towards the living room. Realizing she should probably put some clothes on, she ran upstairs.

Spinelli stood awkwardly near the chair, not sure what to say. Jason didn't know how to handle the situation either. Before Maxie could come back downstairs, Jason's phone rang. He took the call and excused himself when he learned what it was about.

"Does Stone Cold need the Jackal's assistance?" He asked.

Jason shook his head and grabbed his jacket and gun from the closet. "We can talk about later, all right?" He felt the need to clear the air with the younger man who had become a very good friend, but it would have to wait just a little longer.

Spinelli nodded and watched as he left. Maxie came down the stairs shortly after, a little confused.

"Where did Jason go?" She asked, moving over to the couch to sit down.

He joined her, keeping some distance between the two of them. "He had some business to take care of."

"Well isn't this a little more important right now?" Maxie sighed and turned towards her best friend. "So…obviously Jason and I are kind of together." She started out, not sure how to put it. She wanted to break it to him gently, but because of what he had walked in on, that was a little difficult.

"So I witnessed. For how long?" Spinelli feared it started before his disappearance.

"Not for very long. It just sort of happened, you know? We were both upset because we thought you were dead and we found comfort in each other. We actually ended things pretty quickly, but we got back together." Maxie explained.

Spinelli watched as Maxie spoke and he could tell his fair Maximista was happy. "And Maximista's heart?"

She looked at him, not sure what he was asking. "My heart? My heart is fine."

"No, I mean love. What are your feelings for Stone Cold?" He was scared to hear the answer, but it was something he needed to know.

"I don't know if you really want to hear it, Spinelli." Maxie said softly.

"I do, I need to know."

She took a deep breath and nodded. "I'm falling in love with him." She admitted quietly. "We've been happy and it feels really good, you know?"

Spinelli smiled sadly and looked down at his hands in his lap. "Fair Maximista's happiness is important to the Jackal."

Maxie nodded. "I know it is; I just don't want to hurt you. Jason doesn't either. We both care about you, Spinelli and I know this is probably not something you expected to walk in on."

"No, I was quite surprised by what I saw."

"We'll tone it down, okay? I don't want to make things awkward between all of us." Although she didn't want to slow things down with Jason, she knew it was the only option. Spinelli was her best friend and she was willing to do anything for him.

"I think I'm just going to head up to my regrettably pink room for some shut eye."

"Oh, all right." She leaned over and hugged him. "I really am glad you're back, Spinelli. I don't know how I would have gotten along without you."

He gave her a small smile when she pulled back. "The Jackal is here to stay from now on."

"Good."

They said their goodnights and Spinelli headed upstairs. Maxie curled up on the couch and waited for Jason to come back home. When he finally walked in the door, she sat up and looked at the clock. It was late.

"Hey…where were you?" She asked softly.

"I had some business to take care of."

"Oh, well I talked to Spinelli a little. He seemed okay with everything." She told him, standing up from the couch.

When Jason didn't respond, she moved over to him. "What's wrong?"

He sighed and ran his hands over his face. "We have to end this, Maxie."

"What?" She asked, her jaw dropping. She looked up at his face and could tell he was serious. He was breaking up with her.


	20. Chapter 20

I'm so so sorry for the delay guys. Because I made you wait so long, this chapter is a little longer than the others. Hope you enjoy...please review, I love to read them and they help me keep going. Also, if you have any ideas for future Jason and Maxie stories you'd like to see from me, send me an email. I'd love to hear some ideas because I really don't have any. Anyway, I'll try and finish up the story over this long weekened and get it updated when I can.

Chapter 20

Maxie took a deep breath, trying not to cry or scream. He was breaking up with her. "Why?" She asked, almost in a whisper. "What did I do? What happened?"

"I just…" Jason started softly. "Spinelli has been a great friend to me."

"Is that seriously your explanation?" She couldn't believe what was happening. Jason was breaking up with her over Spinelli and not even considering anything else.

Taking another deep breath, she pulled herself together. "If you're going to just dump me like that," she snapped her fingers. "Then we're done here…for good. I'm not going to waste my time falling for you when you're just going to throw me out the door as soon as something doesn't work out for you!"

A few tears fell down her cheek and she pushed past him, grabbing her bag that was still sitting by the door.

"Maxie, please…" He said, but Maxie couldn't hear much feeling in his voice. He didn't care. If he did, he wouldn't have just ended things like that.

"Shut up!" She screamed, not able to take it anymore. She felt like an idiot for letting herself fall for him. Deep down she always knew something like that would happen. Slowly, she turned around and looked at him with pain and anger in her eyes. "You are a sorry excuse for a man, Jason Morgan." Maxie whispered sadly before she opened the door, grabbed her purse, and walked out, slamming the door shut behind her.

Angry and disappointed, Jason made his way to the kitchen. He saw her dress still soaking in the sink, other clothes strewn about. He grabbed a glass off the counter and hurled it against the wall as he yelled out. It shattered and he stretched his hands out before balling them into fists. It had been a mistake to break up with her, but it was the right thing to do where Spinelli was concerned, at least in his eyes.

The next morning, Spinelli woke up and found an empty penthouse. He wandered around for a few moments before going into the kitchen. He nearly injured his feet on the shards of glass on the floor. Realizing what must have happened the night before, he sighed. It was obvious that something was troubling Stone Cold.

A knock at the door tore him from his thoughts and he quickly went to answer it.

"Oh, the fair Maximista! It's lovely to see you this morning." He greeted his friend before he frowned. "Your eyes convey deep sadness."

She shrugged and walked in a few feet, not wanting to talk about it. "Is Jason around?"

"No, it seems Stone Cold got an early start to the day." He informed her. "Would you care for a beverage or some nourishing food?"

"No, I just need to get the rest of my things." Maxie said softly, heading upstairs with her bag.

Spinelli followed her, not understanding everything that was going on. "The Jackal was under the impression that all things Stone Cold and Maximista were going well."

"Yeah, well, so was I." She said, a little angry. "But apparently they aren't. He broke up with me last night."

"But why would Stone Cold do such a thing?"

"It's because of you. Jason thinks that if he's with me that he's betraying you, so he dumped me." She sighed and opened her bag. She moved around Jason's bedroom and grabbed the few things she had in there before moving to the bathroom.

Spinelli sighed. "I fear I have caused many problems upon my return."

"No, no." She turned to him and put her hands on his shoulders. "We are so happy that you're alive and you're back. You have no idea how sad we were, Spinelli. Maybe I was just fooling myself." Maxie shrugged a little and shook her head. "Maybe Jason was just using me to help deal with losing you."

"That doesn't seem like something Stone Cold would do."

"Well, at least you gave him a good name. You know, I was actually starting to believe he wasn't this hard, cold man. I guess that's what I get for being so naïve about being involved with him."

"Maximista is far from naïve. You are smart. Stone Cold is the one losing something so amazing and unique and I know he will regret not having the fair and beautiful Maximista in his life." Spinelli said genuinely. Although the idea of his two favorite people doing intimate acts and spending time together frightened him a little, he truly wanted them both to be happy.

"Thank you for saying that, Spinelli. I just need some time to get over him, all right? So I won't be coming over here for a while." Maxie got the last of her things together and closed up the bag.

He nodded. "The Jackal understands completely."

The two headed back downstairs, but Maxie stopped when Jason walked in the door. Seeing him just made her upset, but she didn't want to cry over him again. The whole night before was long enough. She had to be stronger than that.

Jason looked at her and could see how sad she was, but he still believed in the long run, it was better for everyone if he and Maxie weren't together.

"I have to go." She said quickly as tears welled in her eyes. Maxie hurried to the door and left.

Jason stood there silently, running his hands over his face.

"Stone Cold?" Spinelli ventured softly. He had a feeling Jason wouldn't be in the mood to talk, but he knew Jason needed to. "I know Stone Cold doesn't want to hurt the Jackal in any way, but by keeping the fair Maximista away, you're hurting yourself and Maximista."

"Just stay out of it." Jason said quietly and moved over to the chair to sit down.

"My two greatest friends are in pain. The Jackal is required to do something to help them."

"Stop it!" He yelled. "You are not required to do anything. It's only a matter of time before she gets hurt, so the sooner she's out of my life, the better."

"But the Jackal…"

"No, Spinelli. The Jackal nothing. This is not about you, all right? I can't be with Maxie."

"But you can and you should be! Didn't you see the sorrow in her eyes? Maximista has fallen for Stone Cold and you just tossed her out of your life." Spinelli saw Jason's jaw tighten. "Maximista has a place in your heart as well, Stone Cold. And as your grasshopper, it is my duty to correct this horrible mistake."

Jason looked over at Spinelli and sighed. "You love Maxie." He said simply.

He nodded. "My heart does belong with the fair Maximista, but sadly hers does not lie with mine. It lies with you."

"I would only hurt her..."

"No. You would cherish her and protect her. You would love her, and that, dearest Stone Cold…that would make me the proudest grasshopper in the whole, vast world. I would know she would be taken care of."

Jason thought for a moment and then nodded slightly. "So how do I fix this?"


	21. Chapter 21

The story is winding down...sad, I know. I'll miss it. I hope you guys enjoy the last couple chapters of it! I will update again this weekend.

Chapter 21

Maxie sat at home, hoping Mac wouldn't start asking questions. Thankfully she hadn't run into him yet and she wanted it to stay that way for at least a few more days. Her eyes were red and puffy from all the crying she had done, despite telling herself over and over again that Jason Morgan wasn't worth crying over. But she knew that was a lie.

A knock on her bedroom door made her jump slightly before she sighed. "Yeah, come in…" She said softly, pulling up the covers.

Mac walked in and smiled sadly. He didn't want to say 'I told you so,' and because of how sad she looked, he figured it was better to not utter those words. "I take it things didn't work out with you and Jason." He came over to the bed and sat down on the edge.

"Nope. I guess you were right about it all along." She shrugged and looked down at her hands. "I didn't really think it would either, but it still hurts."

"At least it was still early on, you know? You didn't get yourself in too deep."

Maxie sighed and wiped her eyes. "Actually, I did. I love him." She admitted in a whisper. It was the first time she'd said it out loud and it brought more tears to her eyes.

Mac reached over and gently squeezed her arm. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. I really am."

She smiled a little, trying not to be sad anymore. This happened all the time to girls. "At least Spinelli is back and alive. I can be happy about that, I guess."

"I heard. That's really great news."

"But that's why Jason dumped me. He didn't want to hurt Spinelli, but Spinelli was kind of okay with it. He just wants us to be happy, you know? Or maybe it was for some other reason, I don't know. It's not like he's very good with talking about things." She sighed and sniffled a little. Her phone rang on her nightstand and she looked at Mac.

He nodded. "Go ahead. I need to get to the station anyway." Mac stood up from the bed and leaned over, kissing her forehead. "You'll bounce back, I know you will."

She managed a smile before she reached over and grabbed her phone, answering after she saw it was Spinelli. "Hey…"

"How is fair Maximista this fine morning?" He asked in his usual cheerful voice.

"As good as can be expected, I guess." She said softly and laid back down.

"Do you feel like spending some time outdoors with the Jackal today?"

"Not really. I'm not feeling up to much, I'm sorry, Spinelli. I think I'm just going to stick around home for a little while."

"Oh," Spinelli said, a little disappointed. "Are you sure? It's a beautiful day. Maybe some fresh air would do you good."

She sighed. It probably would be a good idea for her to get out for a while. "All right."

"Goody! So how 'bout we meet at the pier at around one?" He asked, a smile on his face.

"Yeah, I guess that's fine. I'll see you later." She ended the call and looked at the clock before reluctantly getting out of bed to go take a shower.

-----------------------

With a grin, Spinelli looked over at Jason. "Fair Maximista will be waiting at the pier at one o'clock." He said, proud of his accomplishment.

"I don't think she'll want to see me."

"Stone Cold doubts Maximista's feelings for him. She is heartbroken. You just need to be willing to not be so 'Stone Cold' with her. Maximista needs to know your true feelings."

Jason sighed and rubbed his face. "It's not easy to bring her into my life. To bring her into the violence and the danger. I don't want to see her get hurt because of my actions and my decisions. She deserves to have a stable relationship."

"She deserves to be loved. Sometimes that's all that matters." Spinelli told him softly. "You can't keep denying your feelings, Stone Cold. I can see both of you are sad and unhappy with the event that unfolded. You're the only one that can fix it."

The older man nodded, knowing that was the true. Even though he was scared of hurting Maxie, he had already hurt her by pushing her away. He remembered back to the time at the bed and breakfast where he told her he was committed to her and was willing to risk it. He had gone back on that and it hurt him more than he would admit.

"The Jackal has a few errands to run. I can assure you Stone Cold and Maximista will work things out today." He said confidently as he stood up from the couch and grabbed his messenger bag. "Don't forget, one o'clock on the pier." Spinelli called out as he headed out the door.

Jason said a silent prayer that everything would work out. Having Maxie in his life had made him happy, made him feel alive and wanted. Everything they did together, even the arguing, was something he didn't want to give up. He got up from the chair and looked over at the desk, a small smile appearing on his face as he remembered the time they'd made love on it.

In that moment those few days ago, he realized he had actually fallen for her. And now, he had to convince her he was wrong to let her go. He needed her in his life, in his bed, in his heart. She was the woman he'd been waiting for his entire life. Maxie Jones was his soulmate.


	22. Chapter 22

Ok guys...only one more chapter left! I'm still looking for ideas, so if you guys have any, please send them my way. I'm contemplating a sequel to this story but I'm not sure. I'd love some feedback, it would really help me. As always, thank you for those who review, I appreciate it very much. Enjoy!

Chapter 22

Maxie got herself looking half-way decent before she headed for the pier. When she got there, Spinelli was nowhere to be found. Sighing, she sat down on the bench and looked out at the water, trying not to cry again.

She heard someone coming and stood up, watching as Jason walked down the few stairs.

"Jason…" Maxie whispered, smiling a little. Even though she was angry at him for dumping her, just seeing him made her happy.

He walked closer, keeping some distance. "I don't really know what to say."

"Say that you made a mistake. Say that you want to be with me." She pleaded softly and looked up into his eyes.

"I did make a mistake." He nodded and moved closer, reaching to take her hand. "I just got scared I guess and I was trying to do what I thought was best."

"Because of Spinelli? He wants us to be happy, Jason. You weren't even thinking about me or us. Spinelli said he was okay with it. You can be such a coward sometimes." She said, not able to get her thoughts together. "You didn't even give me an explanation; you just shoved me out the door."

"Which I shouldn't have done, I know that. I panicked, Maxie. He walked in on us half naked and it was all so sudden. I didn't expect him to show up then and it was obvious that he didn't like what he saw."

"Who would? That's awkward to walk in on, no matter who you are. Yeah, he was a little shocked and upset, but…you didn't even talk to him, Jason."

"I know…"

"And you broke my heart. I thought that I had finally found something…someone who accepted me for who I am and actually wanted to be with me." Maxie moved back a little and wiped at the few tears that had formed in her eyes. "And I cried over you for hours and hours until I was sick. So if you aren't going to stand up and be a man for once in this relationship, then you just need to leave so I can try and get over you."

"Maxie please…" Jason sighed, reaching out for her again.

"No. Just stop. I'm meeting Spinelli here, so you can go." She moved over to the bench again and sat down, hoping he wouldn't leave. She wanted him to make it up to her and tell her all the things she wanted to hear. But she doubted he would.

Jason shook his head and walked the short distance over to the bench, taking a seat beside her. "Spinelli set this up…for us." He said softly. "He didn't like the fact that I broke things off with you. He saw how unhappy we both were and wanted to fix it."

"You're the one that has to want to fix this, Jason. You're the one that made the choice to let me go."

He turned her to then, one hand gently cupping her cheek. "I am so sorry that I hurt you. I was stupid and should have never pushed you away. These last couple of days have been hell, Maxie. I know now that I want to be with you more than anything."

She sighed and closed her eyes for a moment as she leaned against his hand. "Just don't do that to me again, okay?"

Nodding, Jason leaned in slowly and pressed his lips to hers softly. "Come home with me…Spinelli promised to make himself distant…"

She smiled a little and giggled. "Were you expecting to get lucky today?"

"Yeah, maybe a little." He grinned. "Am I going to?"

"I don't know…I'll have to think about it. I'm still a little upset over what you did to me. It's going to take you a long time to make it up to me, Jason Morgan." She patted his cheek and stood up from the bench. "So in the meantime, you can work on planning a date for us and you can help me get my things packed."

"Where are you going?" He asked and stood as well.

"Home with you of course. I'm moving in. If we're going to give this a real shot like we both want, we need to make a commitment. I want to be with you and I want us to take a step in the right direction. I mean, as long as that's what you want too."

He nodded. "It is. I mean, you practically live there anyway. It wouldn't be much of a difference. I'd get you in my bed at night. I'd fall asleep with you in my arms and wake up with you in my arms. Nothing could be better than that."

She smiled and closed the small gap to wrap her arms around his neck. Jason wrapped her up in his arms and sighed in contentment. They stayed like that for a few moments before Maxie pulled away.

"Forget what I said before. I want sex…and now." She laughed, standing up on her tiptoes to kiss him quickly. "Take me home."

Laughing, Jason walked with her back to his SUV before the two headed to the penthouse.

Once inside, Jason called out Spinelli's name and they heard no reply. Grinning at each other, they ran upstairs to the bedroom, shutting and locking the door behind them.

Maxie immediately pulled Jason to her, shoving his heavy leather jacket from his shoulders and helped it down his arms. Looking up into his eyes, she smiled and pulled off her jacket and toed off her shoes. He watched her patiently, smiling back at her.

When the two of them finally made it onto the bed, his heart was full, his body satisfied. By the time dinnertime rolled around, they were exhausted.

"I'm so hungry." Maxie laughed softly, resting her head on Jason's chest.

"We kind of forgot lunch, didn't we?" He asked, laughing softly himself as he ran his fingers over her bare back.

"This was much better than lunch." She sighed and grinned, thinking about the time they had just spent together. "Are you really okay with this? You're not going to suddenly change your mind and push me away, are you?" Maxie asked as she sat up a little and propped herself up on her elbow.

"I've learned my lesson about that." Jason told her softly, reaching up to touch her cheek gently. "I don't want to live my life without you in it, Maxie Jones."

She smiled and leaned down to kiss him softly, letting her lips linger on his for a few long moments. Maxie couldn't remember the last time she'd felt so content and genuinely happy. As she broke the kiss and looked down at Jason, she knew she had found something that would change her life forever.


	23. Chapter 23

Here's a shorter chapter to finish it off...enjoy!

Chapter 23

Morning came far too early, but when Jason saw the beautiful woman beside him he couldn't help but smile. He was madly in love with Maxie Jones and was no longer afraid to admit that. Maxie slowly started to stir and opened her eyes after a moment. She was greeted by Jason's piercing eyes and smiled at him.

"Morning…" She whispered and rolled over to get closer to him.

"Good morning…" He whispered back and wrapped her up in his arms. He closed his eyes and kissed her head softly.

Maxie pulled back after a moment and looked into his eyes. She was just about to speak when Jason gently pressed a finger to her lips.

"Can I say something?" He asked softly and sat up a little.

She looked at him weird and then nodded. "Yeah, sure."

"Okay…umm..." Jason paused for a moment, not sure how to put his thoughts and feelings into words. Then it hit him. There were three little words that would say it all. He smiled a little and looked down at her. "I love you."

She was speechless. 'Stone Cold' Jason Morgan had spoken those words she'd never thought she would hear from him.

When Maxie didn't respond, Jason turned away slightly, disappointed. He pulled back the covers and started to get out of bed.

"I love you too!" Maxie exclaimed quickly, reaching for him.

He turned, relief visible on his face. Maxie laughed a little. "I'm sorry, you surprised me." She grinned and pulled him closer. "I love you so much and I've been waiting for you to say those words to me…"

"I mean them." He whispered. "I never thought I would say them to you or to anyone for that matter. But I can't deny the truth. I love you, Maxie Jones."

Giddy and happy, Maxie grabbed him and kissed him passionately. Jason pulled back and smiled after a few long minutes. "What about morning breath?"

"Who gives a damn? You love me!" She grinned, kissing him again.

A few heated rounds of sex followed and both Jason and Maxie felt more fulfilled than they'd ever had. A knock on the door pulled them out of their haze.

"Uh, Stone Cold? Maximista?"

"Yes Spinelli?" Maxie asked with a smile and sat up a little, holding the blanket against her chest.

"Does Maximista's presence in the penthouse and in uh…the bed of Stone Cold mean that Stone Cold and Maximista are indeed a couple once again?" He asked, waiting impatiently for a reply.

Maxie laughed a little and got out of bed, as did Jason. "It does mean that, yeah." She answered happily as she put her clothes on and came over to the door.

She opened the door and came out in the hallway, shutting the door behind her so Jason could get dressed.

"Maximista looks very content." Spinelli observed as the two headed downstairs.

"I am content, Spinelli. Jason told me he loved me." She grinned and squealed.

Spinelli squealed as well and the two friends shared a hug.

"Does that mean Maximista will be residing in the Casa de Stone Cold with the Jackal?"

She nodded. "Yeah, it does."

A few weeks passed and Maxie moved in most of her things. The moving went surprisingly well and Jason even let her redecorate…slightly. It was a step in the right direction and for once in her life, she knew she was in a good place.

One night, the three of them were hanging out on the couch, Maxie sandwiched between the man she loved and the friend she cherished more than anything. She looked down at the glimmering ring on her finger and smiled. Everything was perfect.

The End.

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I wasn't sure how to end this, but there you have it! I want to give a HUGE thank you to everyone who reviewed even if it was only once or twice. Your feedback was very encouraging and it helped me to get through the story. I want to especially thank Daddy's LiL HeartBreaker. You reviewed when no one else did and always so quickly! You also sent me some great ideas for another story in the future. I also want to thank Dee just because you are so much fun and you are a fantastic reviewer!

Anyway, thank you so much for sticking with this story. So many of you added me to your favorite authors list and added the story to your lists as well and that means a lot to me.

I'm not sure when I'll get another story started, so add me to your author alert list so you don't miss it. Again, thank you so much...it's been a fun ride!

Reviews and comments/questions are greatly welcomed. I'm still open to ideas for future stories, so feel free to send them my way!

MelindaM


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